


Running On Water

by koshitussy



Category: Kpop - Fandom, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Boyfriends, Boys In Love, Coming of Age, Crime, Crushes, Cute Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin, Dancer Park Jimin (BTS), Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Friendship/Love, Gay, Jeon Jungkook & Park Jimin are Rivals, Jeon Jungkook is Older Than Park Jimin, Jeon Jungkook is Whipped, Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin Fluff, Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin-centric, Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin are Best Friends, Love, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, M/M, Multi, Soft Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin, Sope, Sports, Swimming, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, jikook - Freeform, longfic, namjin - Freeform, slowburn, vhope - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:28:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 84,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23314645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koshitussy/pseuds/koshitussy
Summary: "You seem a bit too comfortable on that throne of yours, Jungkook.""Would you care to kick me out of it?""Maybe I would."Jeon Jungkook, school-renowned, champion of the swim team, goes about his days convinced he will never lose a race until he meets Park Jimin, a more than worthy opponent. With every race, they grow closer and closer, they begin to wonder if they'll ever be more than rivals- more than friends. However, as relationships begin to test the waters and push through hazardous tidal waves, will they escape the clutches of their parents' dreams and find their own?
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Park Jimin, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Kim Taehyung | V, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Min Yoongi | Suga, Kim Namjoon/Kim Seokjin, Kim Taehyung | V/Park Jimin
Comments: 40
Kudos: 117





	1. Wave 1

His head burst through the clear blue water; droplets cascading down his chiselled jaw as he ripped off his swim cap revealing a mop of dyed, light brown hair. The boy hurriedly pulled down his swim goggles and his chocolate brown doe eyes melted with glee as he took in the sight of spectators cheering loudly and his team running towards him. Jungkook waved his arms wildly in the air making the crowd scream even louder. He climbed out of the pool to have the air immediately knocked out of him as his teammates suffocated him in a group hug. A voice erupted from the speakers and was barely heard over the incessant cheering coming from the students of Suyeong High.

''Jeon Jungkook from Suyeong High wins first place in the 100m freestyle race.''

Jungkook smirks with his arms crossed and a towel draped over his shoulders. He relishes the familiar feeling a gold medal placed around his neck before heading over to his rightful place on the podium. Jungkook looked over at the boy standing in second place and grinned at the sickening silver colour that glinted upon his chest. The boy looked up at Jungkook; his jet-black hair cast a shadow upon his dark eyes that gleamed with envy. The brown-haired boy simply held up his gold medal towards him and swung it tauntingly from side to side. He didn't even spare a glance at the person in third place, it's not like he was worth his time.  
The voice rang out yet again to deliver the results.

''In third place we have Jesam High.'' 

Jungkook rolled his eyes. Why even bother announcing that?

''In second place we have... Bandae High.''

Jungkook tried not to scoff at how the students from Bandae High still cheered as though second place was good enough.

''Which means that in first place we have Suyeong High!'' 

The crowd became rowdy once again as they chanted their school name and waved banners with Jungkook's name written on them. He ran over to his teammates who all wore their gold medals proudly against their chests; faces beaming with pride and overflowing with happiness.

**************************

The footsteps of timberland boots resonated throughout the halls as the students of Suyeong High welcomed their champion with triumphant yells. Jungkook's ears had already grown accustomed to the usual chanting of his nickname. 

''GOLDEN FIN! GOLDEN FIN! GOLDEN FIN!''

Jungkook smiled and waved at his adoring fans before jogging over to his friends who sported the same blue jacket he wore.

''Another day, another win.'' Jungkook sighed in an off-hand manner. They all rolled their eyes simultaneously as he winked at the team leader, Namjoon, who responded with a disappointed look. 

''Hey, Jungkook, have you heard of this new thing called being humble? It's all the rage nowadays, maybe you should try it.'' Namjoon spoke; his voice dripping with sarcasm. It was Jungkook's turn to roll his eyes now as his friends chuckled. However, he couldn't help but notice how the leader's dimples deepened and his brown eyes softened as he heard Jin's windshield wiper laugh. 

The youngest of the group crossed his arms defiantly. ''Modesty is overrated.'' Jungkook mumbled childishly. 

''Actually-'' Jungkook was suddenly engulfed in Jin's hold before feeling his knuckles rapidly rubbing against his scalp; ruining his hair. "Modesty is a valuable quality." He said menacingly. Jungkook yelled in protest before opting to attempt to bite Jin's wrist but before he could sink his teeth into his skin Jin let go abruptly.  
Jin stared at Jungkook in shock. "He's gone feral! Namjoon, control him-" 

Jungkook punched one of Jin's broad shoulders and the elder twisted the boy's ear. 

"Ow- ow OW-"

The sudden slam of the locker next to them was heard and they both froze. "How are you both so loud this early in the morning?" a boy with dark hair questioned in a low threatening tone. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep standing up?"

A red-haired boy with a bright smile giggled softly. "Yoongi, I don't think that's possible."

Jungkook eyed the pair's matching orange tracksuits. "How cute, you're matching!" He stated with a high-pitched tone as he clapped his hands.

"Shut it, Jeon, it was Hoseok's idea."

"Ah...I see." The boy winked at Yoongi who sent him an icy glare to silence him and Jungkook jokingly put a finger to his lips.

He leaned against the faded blue locker next to his own. He noticed how no one else from his team was wearing a gold medal. Jungkook failed to understand why they refused to showcase their winnings. He looked down at his own medal; fingers slowly passing over the intricate inscriptions that never failed to fill him with joy. Jungkook couldn't control the small smile that reached his lips as he gazed at the golden glow of the metal. Namjoon gave him a slightly worried glance before securing his arm around Jin's waist who had also noticed the boy's unhealthy obsession with winning.

"You know...it's not even real gold." The team leader informed nonchalantly.

Jungkook shrugged his shoulders. "I couldn't care less about that. It represents first place and that's what matters."

"Don't you know that it's the taking part that counts?" Hoseok mentioned with a grin that seemed to light up the hallway.

Jungkook scoffed. "That's what they say to make losers feel better-" He heard Yoongi give an exasperated sigh. "What? It's true!"

"So, you're confident that you'll never lose?" Jin questioned, his fingers subtly stroking the stray hairs at the tip of Namjoon's neck that were dyed white.

"Me? Lose? Impossible. In fact, I wonder what it's like to actually lose considering that I'll never experience it."

Namjoon raises an eyebrow. "Haven't you heard about the two new students transferring from Sindong High?"

"Isn't that school full of prodigies?" wondered Hoseok, receiving a nod from Yoongi.

"Prodigy or not, I'll beat them in any race, any distance, any stroke." Jungkook stated confidently.

The crowd of students suddenly quietened down to whispers as the air around them seemed to chill. The breeze from the double doors of the school entrance wafted through; accompanying the rhythmic footsteps of two new students upon the freezing marble floor. Gasps were heard as well as phrases such as-

"Wow, he's so handsome!" 

"He's the prettiest boy I've ever seen..."

Jungkook's doe eyes grew to the size of saucers when he caught what others were saying. He unconsciously took in a sharp breath when the sounds of their footsteps ceased. His mouth refused to close once he laid eyes upon the boy who stood before him. The curled waves of sunlight that seemed to dance upon his head softly tickled the boy's gorgeous, long eyelashes; dark midnight curtains that often shrouded his sparkling golden-brown eyes, they seemed to be even more luminous than the moon could ever dream to be. Jungkook drank in his every feature to the brink of intoxication. The constant orchestral tune echoing from his heart became a cacophony of sporadic drumming. It grew worse once he caught sight of the boy's plump lips that reminded him of pink rose petals. He nearly tried to physically shake out the thought of finding out whether his lips were as soft as the flower itself. Jungkook had currently lost function of his legs as he could only lean against the lockers for support.

"Excuse me. You're leaning on my locker." 

Jungkook tried hard to supress a gasp at how sweet and melodious his voice sounded. He forced his legs to move away from the boy's locker before taking in his whole image. His aura seemed to make the whiteness of his sweater glow whilst Jungkook's eyes got dangerously low; just enough to notice how the boy's denim overalls accentuated his great ass...ets. He looked up at the boy's face again only to see his golden-brown eyes staring back at him causing Jungkook to look away immediately. 

"So, you're the new kids?" Namjoon spoke with his usual friendly tone.  
Jungkook found himself looking back at the blond-haired boy who nodded at Namjoon. A boy with a dark brown mullet and box shaped smile waved hello at them all before lazily swinging an arm around the blond boy's shoulders, who bowed politely instead. Jungkook didn't understand the discomfort he felt once he laid eyes on how intimate they looked.

"I'm Kim Taehyung, Tae for short." He introduced himself, smiling at everyone; his gaze lingering slightly on the red-haired boy before looking expectantly towards his friend who discreetly pulled on Taehyung's Gucci sweater. "This is Jimin, Park Jimin." Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows at how Jimin scrunched his nose at Tae as he grinned fondly back at him.

"Welcome to Suyeong High, if you have any questions feel free to ask any of us! My name is Jung Hoseok and I am at your service." Hoseok sang cheerfully. 

"What he said." Yoongi muttered with his eyes half-closed.

Jin snickered. "Your name is Jung Hoseok too?"

The rest of them laughed as Yoongi hissed "You know what I meant." 

Taehyung noticed their matching light blue jackets and his eyes lit up. "You're the famous swim team of Suyeong High, right?" He gasped.

Namjoon chuckled. "I wouldn't say we're famous. Unlike our golden maknae, The Jeon Jungkook." The leader gestured over to Jungkook who had managed to get a hold of himself before becoming the centre of attention. He puffed out his chest and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his ripped denim jeans as he took a few steps towards Jimin; doe eyes never leaving his golden-brown ones. 

"You? Famous?" Jimin smirked.

Jungkook cocked his head to the side. "Considering that I'm Suyeong's champion swimmer, I guess you could say I'm pretty famous around here." He leaned down to appear more intimidating and Jimin could only look up due to his shorter height. Jungkook felt his insides form a knot when the boy looked up at him through his long eyelashes in a subtle yet seductive way. He struggled to find his train of thought only to realise that it was in a train wreck along with the rest of his thoughts. If he couldn't use his words, he would have to use body language. He took a few steps closer towards Jimin who feigned a vulnerable look that managed to ensnare him in his trap, walking backwards until his back felt the cold metal of his locker. Jungkook rested his arm on the locker behind Jimin; just above the boy's head before leaning in to softly blow a strand of hair that fell over Jimin's eye. He smirked at the faint blush that gently kissed Jimin's cheeks, yet he didn't expect him to lean forward until the very tips of their noses touched. Jungkook nearly jumped back abruptly as he felt his heart rapidly thumping against his rib cage. Jimin grinned; making Jungkook swoon as the boy's eyes turned into crescents. The brown-haired boy was simply lost for words as Jimin's mouth moved towards his ear.

"You seem a bit too comfortable on that throne of yours, Jungkook." Jimin whispered. Jungkook could've sworn he was practically purring in his hear and the indescribable feeling of Jimin saying his name made him shiver all over.

"Would you care to kick me out of it?" Jungkook whispered back teasingly.

Jimin giggled before slowly biting his lips and Jungkook was suddenly on a high. "Maybe I would."

The pair had seemed to have forgotten about their surroundings as multiple people began clearing their throats. 

"Are they done? I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable here..." Hoseok laughed nervously as Yoongi nodded in agreement.

"I think we need a chainsaw to cut the sexual tension in here." Jin commented.

"I second that." Namjoon said, raising his hand. 

Jungkook and Jimin blushed as they put an appropriate amount of space between them. "So, you're a swimmer? Jungkook asked casually.

"We both are." Jimin gestured towards him and Taehyung. 

"Let me guess, short distance?" Jungkook said mockingly as he looked down at him. "You know, because of your height-"

"Jungkook, you also-" Jin started. Jungkook glared at him, causing Jin to roll his eyes.

Jimin was silent as he reached up to trail his fingers down Jungkook's neck, smoothing his thumb down the ribbon of his gold medal before reading what it says. "Oh, look at this. It seems to say you won first place in the 100m freestyle race." Jimin mentioned. He pretended to look confused before sarcastically asking "Hold on, isn't that short distance?"

The bell rang throughout the halls as they laughed along at Jungkook finally being knocked off his high horse.  
Jimin and Taehyung began to walk off towards their class until Jungkook called out to Jimin. "See you at try-outs!" He tried to fight off the smile that clung to his lips as Jimin turned back immediately.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Jimin shouted in response.


	2. Wave 2

Jimin let out yet another sigh, constantly tapping his pen on his desk as he looked around at something to distract himself. The freshly painted cyan walls of the classroom didn't prove to be very entertaining and the smartboard covered in hand-written formulas and equations simply made him feel slightly depressed. In general, he was extremely agitated ever since he encountered Suyeong High's so-called champion swimmer.

Jimin struggled to get his stupid handsome face out of his mind during homeroom and now he's getting in the way of his education. The tapping of his pen quickened at the thought of how gorgeous his brown doe eyes were. The way his pupils dilated like a deer caught in headlights when he first laid eyes on him compared to how they twinkled with mischief when he trapped him by his locker intrigued Jimin in a way he couldn't understand. Jungkook's light brown hair riddled with tiny rays of gold made him look so insanely sweet and adorable. Yet, the golden-brown hair that Jimin believed to have resembled that of an innocent and playful puppy proved to be a ravenous wolf in disguise that couldn't wait to devour him. 

Jungkook's cute, bow-shaped lips suddenly flashed in his mind along with red warning signs. Jimin felt like he was losing it. His cheeks faintly grew a pinkish tint and he unconsciously tapped his pen even faster as though trying match his own racing heartbeat. Before he could imagine what it would feel like to kiss those very lips, Taehyung had already lost patience.

"Would you please stop tapping your pen, Jimin! I swear every time you tap your pen my blood pressure rises!" Tae hissed in annoyance.

Jimin chuckled. "You'd be dead by now." He stated matter-of-factly before shielding himself as Taehyung threw an eraser at him.

"What's gotten into you anyway? Are you nervous about try-outs?" his best friend asked with genuine worry and concern in his tone.

"It's not about try-outs. I'm fine don't worry about it." Jimin assured him.

"Did that Jungkook guy make you uncomfortable?" There was something else in his tone now that Jimin couldn't quite pinpoint.

Jimin stared at his desk and started drawing shapes with his finger. "I-I mean I wasn't exactly pushing him away..." he muttered sheepishly.

"Yeah, I noticed." 

Jimin furrowed his eyebrows at how there was a change in Taehyung's tone, yet he couldn't decipher what it exactly was, so he decided to let it go. 

**************************

Streams of endless chatter trailed into their ears as the two boys entered the canteen that was already filled to the brim with bustling students all heading to their usual seats. Jimin and Taehyung joined the lunch line with their navy-blue trays at the ready and after getting their food they stood in the middle of the myriad of students. They seemed to be practically lost at sea until their saviour saw the S.O.S signs written across their faces and waved them over to their table. Hoseok had come to the rescue with his dazzling smile that never failed to illuminate any room he was in. Jimin and Taehyung bowed in gratitude before sitting down at the indigo lunch table.

"How are you two finding, Suyeong so far?" Hoseok asked with a genuine friendly look in his eyes that somehow warmed their hearts.

"It's pretty...big?" Taehyung commented with a hint of uncertainty.

"Yeah, the school's pretty filthy rich, having multiple swimming pools and all." Hoseok laughed, unknowingly putting Taehyung at ease whilst Jimin's eyes were darting around; seemingly looking for something.

"Are you alright, Jimin?" Hoseok questioned.

Jimin met eyes with the red-haired boy before nodding. "I was just wondering where...Jungkook was." He answered quietly.

The boy with the dimples and the white hair chuckled at how embarrassed Jimin looked before enlightening him. "Jungkook doesn't really stay in the canteen for too long." He informed.

The boy with light pink hair sitting next to him chimed in. "He scoffs his food down quickly before racing over to the pool to get in as many laps as possible." He did an adorable running motion whilst he narrated, making the white-haired boy next to him melt without even knowing it.

The boy with dimples tore his eyes away from the pink-haired boy before he began speaking. "We didn't get to introduce ourselves properly this morning, by the way. My name is Kim Namjoon." He said politely.

"Of course, we couldn't introduce ourselves, since Jungkook hogged Jimin all to himself." the pink-haired boy winked as Jimin failed miserably at trying to hide his blushing cheeks with his hands. "I'm Kim Seokjin by the way, also known as Worldwide handsome." He gave a charming smile and Jimin was in awe at how symmetrical his unbelievably handsome face was. Jimin looked between Namjoon and Seokjin who had intertwined their hands underneath the table. He knew better than to ask if they were married.

"You already know my name is Hoseok and this here is..." Hoseok waited for the black-haired boy next to him to say his full name who merely stared back at him.

"Jung Hoseok." The boy deadpanned.

Namjoon and Jin snickered whilst Hoseok refrained the need to facepalm. "Min Yoongi." Hoseok said blankly.

"Not my government name!" Yoongi gasped and smiled triumphantly at how Hoseok leaned on his shoulder whilst laughing and wrapped an arm around him out of habit. 

Jimin couldn't help but gaze fondly at how they all interacted with another and wondered if he would ever find a place for himself in their close-knit family. 

*************************

Jungkook sat on the edge of the pool. His legs swinging back and forth in the water despite the searing pain that scorched every muscle; his body ached yet, when he felt the coolness of the chlorine stained water wash over his skin it felt like it could heal him. Whether the pain was in his body or in his heart, it was the water that erased it all. He closed his eyes and listened carefully to the soft echoes of the waves lapping over one another like they were playing a game of leapfrog. Jungkook didn't want to hear anything else but the water. Nevertheless, the unwanted sounds somehow slithered back into his water-clogged ears; crawling and scraping into his ear canals. Without a second thought he threw himself into the pool as he tried to drown everything else out, including himself. He felt his body grow still as to not disturb the water, he held his breath; waiting until the sounds would go away...but they never did. Instead they grew louder and louder, forming the words that drove mercilessly knives into his slow-beating heart. The salt from his tears mixed with the chlorine of the pool, becoming the bitter taste he grown so accustomed to over the years. Jungkook's head emerged from the water's surface. He gasped for air until his breaths were reduced to pants. The boy shivered; however, it was not the water that made him feel cold but the words that he heard that simply chilled him to the bone.

************************

The final, irritatingly shrill sound of the school bell was heard as most students began getting to ready to leave school grounds whilst others ran off to their designated clubs. Jimin had finished placing his books back in his locker and proceeded to close it only to come face to face with a twisted, maniacal smile and goofy looking eyes. The boy nearly dropped his bag in shock composing himself and playfully smacking Taehyung's dark head of hair. Jimin giggled as his best friend dramatically threw himself against the lockers and slowly fell to the ground.

"TaeTae, get up. We have somewhere to be." Jimin said sternly yet the fond smile never left his face.

Taehyung's head had gone limp and his body was sprawled across the floor; not moving an inch. Jimin sighed.

"Well, I guess I'll just head to try-outs by myself then."

As Jimin began to walk away. Taehyung suddenly latched on to his leg; causing the boy to yelp in surprise.Tae wailed in fake agony. "How could you leave your best friend to just die out here. All alone...in the cold-"

Jimin scoffed. "You're not even shivering." He deadpanned.

"Yet."

Jimin let out another harmonious giggle as Taehyung finally got from the floor and brushed himself off. 

"You're despicable." His best friend huffed before pouting cutely. Jimin rolled his eyes in response, quickly grabbed his hand and sprinted down the hall. Their charging footsteps resounded in unison as the pair raced towards the same double doors that they had entered that morning.The sky was dripping with a medley of coral pink waves, ribbons of fuchsia dipping in and out of the formless, light orange clouds as the dimming rays of sun sank ever so slowly casting a soft rose-tinted glow all around them. The cool, late September breeze lazily stroked through Jimin's golden curls as the boys looked around the vast campus. Taehyung intertwined their fingers as they began taking a few uncertain steps down the stairs and away from the school entrance. Their heads moved in sync as they looked left and right with no clue of where to go until they looked at each other in silence. 

After a few seconds the two exploded in a fit of laughter as they seemed to telepathically communicate with one another. They silently agreed on how they were idiots for not asking for directions once throughout the day. The pair continued to let out silly little giggles here and there until it dawned on them. Their eyes met yet again, wordlessly voicing to the other that they were definitely going to be late. 

"No, Namjoon, the last time I let you in my kitchen a fire extinguisher was needed."

The boys felt their hearts leap together as a familiar voice reached their ears.

"I'll try my best to make sure it doesn't happen again, Jinnie please-"

Jimin and Taehyung began heading towards their right with grateful smiles on their faces as they heard an exasperated laugh coming from Seokjin.

"You know...that reminds me of the other NINE times you said those exact same words to me- Oh!" 

Jimin and Taehyung jogged towards the couple who waved at them once they came into view.

"We were just looking for you two!" Seokjin grinned before signalling for them to follow him.

"Jinnie, but-" Namjoon let out a whine that surprised everyone but Seokjin. 

"End of discussion," Jin said sternly and Namjoon narrowed his eyes at him, "For now." The white-haired boy's eyes lit up as his boyfriend pinched his cheek.

Jimin and Taehyung shared a look as they walked behind the pair. The blond-haired boy took the time to take in how the campus was made up of so much green space. Their feet trampled on the blades of grass soaked by the autumn rain that had dampened the air around them. Jimin breathed out in awe as he spotted what seemed to be the building that held multiple swimming pools. They were now walking along the tiled, concrete path that led to the entrance. 

The building resembled that of a white mansion; looking down dauntingly upon the students as it cast its gargantuan shadow against the glow of the setting sun. Countless large, windows revealed the bright rays of fluorescent, white light as though shining from the clouds of heaven itself along with the swirling, baby blue waves of the water reflecting through the glass. Pillars surrounded the white walls of the enormous building; showing no signs of aging or decay. The building held a sense of power and timelessness; emanating a majestic and regal aura. Yet, none of the architecture could compare to the colossal dome that had been perfectly fitted on top of the building as though placed by the hand of a higher being. It was simply breath-taking how the transparent dome gave out reflected waves of cerulean whilst simultaneously taking in the mixture of pink, orange and lavender pulsating from the sky.

Namjoon had been holding the door open whilst Jin waited for the two boys to finish gawking at the building. Jimin compared it to the normal school building which was fairly huge with a pretty modern design yet there was a clear difference between the two as the school seemed to obviously prioritise their swim team above all else.

"Kids, you'll be seeing this building so many times you'll start to lose count." Seokjin stated, impatiently tapping his foot on the marble ground.

"Only if you actually get on the team." Namjoon added as he winked at his boyfriend who proceeded to glare back at him despite the way his cheeks began to match his hair.

Seokjin walked through the entrance whilst Jimin and Taehyung climbed up the steps and followed behind him. As soon as he entered, Jimin's nose was hit with the overwhelming scent of chlorine that you think he would've gotten used to by now. His eyes squinted slightly, growing accustomed to the familiar bright white light as he began taking in his surroundings. In front of them was the gigantic 50m swimming pool that seemed to stretch on endlessly. Jimin looked to the left and felt a wave of familiarity wash over him as he noticed the 25m swimming pool that a certain swimmer had already occupied. His head then swivelled to the right to see an average 25m wide and 20m long diving pool surrounded by multiple springboards varying in height. Jimin unconsciously gulped at the sight of the diving tower looming over the water along with the 5m and 7.5m take-off platforms that seemed to be nothing compared to the 10m take-off platform.

Yoongi was already inside the monstrously large, 50m pool; swimming towards them or more likely towards Hoseok who was been sitting on the edge of the pool. The red-haired boy turned around at the sound of the door closing behind them. His face lit up brighter than the fluorescent lights ever could as he smiled at the new arrivals. Yoongi had reached Hoseok's side of pool he nodded at them in acknowledgment before allowing his eyes close and making his head comfortable on Hoseok's lap.   
Namjoon sighed as he looked around to see no other student apart from Jimin and Taehyung were willing to try out for the team. His eyebrows then furrowed in confusion.

"Where's Coach Choi?" Namjoon asked. 

Hoseok looked away from Yoongi whose hair he had been tangling with his fingers and pursed his lips in thought before responding. "I don't know. He said he needed to go look at something. Coach seemed pretty frustrated." 

"That's an understatement." Yoongi deadpanned, mumbling into Hoseok's thigh.

Jimin shifted his weight from one foot to the other as his eyes subconsciously kept going back to whoever was swimming in the short-course pool. Since he walked in the boy hadn't stopped swimming at all as though he was some sort of machine. Jimin was about to take a step towards the pool until the double-doors burst open.

"Guess who's fault this is!" Boomed a voice that Jimin and Taehyung had never heard before. The echoes carried the same anger with every syllable.

A man around his late twenties powerwalked past them, sporting navy-blue shorts, white long socks and white trainers along with a dark blue jacket similar to the rest of the team instead with the words COACH CHOI written in bold with white letters on the back. His white baseball cap was the only thing stopping his dark brown hair from becoming a blur. Coach Choi stopped at the short-course swimming pool and the whistle swinging from his neck came to a halt. Jimin noticed him holding a clipboard with some sort of sign up sheet attached to it, yet it was completely blank. The boy who was in the pool finally came to a stop, resting his arms on the edge of the pool after taking of his swim cap to reveal light brown waves of hair and taking off his goggles to show the same doe eyes Jimin couldn't get out of his head. The blond-haired boy didn't notice how he had already began walking closer towards the pool. Jimin was almost fooled into thinking Jungkook was truly beautiful- until he opened his mouth.

"So, it's my fault for being too amazing at swimming?" Jungkook responded with a cocky grin as Coach Choi proceeded to wave the empty sign up sheet in front of him. The Coach was silent as he beckoned for Jungkook to get out of the pool. 

Jungkook climbed out and stood up; hands resting confidently on his hips as Jimin felt as though he was going to go into cardiac arrest. His eyes followed the droplets of water that streamed down from his perfect jawline, running all the way down his neck, on to his chest and then trailing down the ridges of his rippling abs; mocking him, making him wish his hands could roam all over him like the beads of water scattered across his tanned skin. Jimin nearly let out gasp at his own thoughts as he cautiously walked towards Taehyung, Seokjin and Namjoon who were simply overlooking the scene. 

As soon as Jungkook was about to wink at the blond-haired boy he received a clipboard to the head- multiple times. Everyone else erupted in raucous laughter, echoing loudly throughout the place.

Jungkook could barely string a coherent sentence together. "Ow-hey, Coach! Seriously- Ouch!" 

"You've got some nerve, kid! You have the audacity to scare people off from trying out for the team, only to tell me it's because YOU'RE TOO AMAZING!" Coach Choi hollered, smacking the boy with every word whilst still trying to make sure he wouldn't end up with a concussion. 

Coach Choi stopped hitting him with a clipboard and gestured to the rest of the team. "Everyone here is just as good as you, Jungkook." He said in a stern and serious tone as all the laughter in the room ceased.

"Yeah, and I'm not the Golden Fin." Jungkook chuckled, making his sarcasm very clear.

Coach Choi's typically handsome features twisted in annoyance. "You'll be the broken fin by the time I'm done with you-" He lunged forward as Jungkook quickly jumped back into the pool. Coach Choi was visibly simmering with anger as the water gradually seeped into his trainers. Namjoon stood in front of the pool and gave Jungkook a disappointed look that he was all too familiar with.

"Jungkook, you do realise we can't have a swim team made up of just five members." Their team leader informed.

Jungkook didn't respond, keeping his lips in a straight line as he continued to wade in the water. He puffed his cheeks slightly and a cute pout appeared on his lips, he didn't notice Jimin silently cooing at him from behind Taehyung.

"Then Jimin and Taehyung can try out. We only need a minimum of two more members anyway." Jungkook mumbled defeatedly.  
Namjoon leaned down and narrowed his brown eyes at him, making him look somewhat threatening despite how much of a softie he really was. "They're also the only students left willing to try out for the team. So, you better hope they get in." 

Jungkook nodded before Namjoon turned away from him and laced his arm around Jin's waist. "Jimin, Taehyung, come with us to the locker room." 

The pair began to follow the couple yet again, Jungkook' eyes never left the blond-haired boy's retreating figure. He whistled at Jimin, smirking triumphantly as Jimin's head swivelled around to see Jungkook beckon him over to the pool. He couldn't help but relish the annoyed look on his face; his mouth slightly open in offense at being whistled at. Nevertheless, Jimin walked back over to him.

"Do you think I'm some kind of pet?" Jimin questioned, his tone incredulous as he crossed his arms over his chest. Jungkook was simply in awe of how the white lights resembled a luminous halo above the boy's fluffy, sunlight golden curls.

"Maybe." Jungkook replied, his confident gaze making Jimin fidget with the buttons on his overalls and focus on the tiled walls around them. "You seem to like my swim shorts." He mentioned with a sly smile as Jimin's rosy cheeks blushed even harder at the sudden image of Jungkook's v-cut abs disappearing into the low waistband of his black and blue swim shorts.

"Maybe." Jimin responded softly with a sultry glance that set Jungkook's body on fire despite being submerged in water. 

"I'd like to make a bet with you." Jungkook stated calmly, seemingly very sure of himself as he continued, resting his elbows on the edge of pool. "You and I are going to race," Jungkook noticed a fleeting smirk that reached Jimin's lips, "If I win, you'll be my pet for a week-"

Jimin gasped. "You're objectifying me!"

"Wholeheartedly." Jungkook chuckled as Jimin huffed in blatant annoyance.

"Then if I win, I'll have you as my servant for a week." He demanded. 

Jungkook nodded and reached up to shake hands with Jimin. "Deal?"

Jimin tentatively took Jungkook's hand in his; feeling the soaked creases of his skin that had been formed from hours in the water, gently coalesce with his own smooth, soft palms. Jungkook couldn't help but notice how his large, veiny hands were able to perfectly encompass Jimin's adorably tiny fingers. He felt an electrifying sensation coursing through his veins all from his fingertips as they stayed connected for a couple seconds with neither of them attempting to shake their hands as intended. 

Jimin barely ever got tongue-tied yet he could've sworn his tongue became an elaborate bow when he tried to utter the word "Deal." He eventually choked it out, reminding the two boys that they were holding hands rather than shaking them. They looked at their intertwined fingers before breaking apart immediately. Jimin quickly spun around on his heel and sped off to the locker room. Jungkook tried to submerge his blushing cheeks in the water; the sound of liquid rushing past his ears was drowned out by his heart drumming against his ribcage. His cheeks reddened even more at the thought of being able to ruffle Jimin's blond hair to his heart's content as well as pet and caress him like the golden feline he is. He's definitely winning this race. 

Coach Choi's cheery voice reverberated against the tiled walls; seemingly in high spirits at the thought of getting two former Sindong students on the team. He had a dazzling smile on his fine-looking face which disappeared as soon as he laid eyes on Hoseok who was currently in the middle of gently thumbing Yoongi's ear. Jungkook clambered out of the pool and watched the scene unfold with an amused look on his face. Coach Choi was powerwalking over to the pair whilst Hoseok whispered something to the black-haired boy with a pleading look. Yoongi simply grumbled something back; pinching the back of Hoseok's leg as he spoke.

"Hoseok, what did I say about constantly going over to the long-course pool?" Coach Choi questioned with an annoyed tone.

Hoseok let out a nervous laugh before giving Yoongi's cheek a soft pat; making the boy grumble even more as he removed himself from Hoseok's lap, allowing him to stand up.   
"Yoongi and I had something very important to talk about." Hoseok responded lightly with a mischievous glint flickering in his warm brown eyes.

Coach Choi merely sighed. "Hoseok, if I don't see a perfect dive in the next thirty seconds-"

Hoseok was already skidding over to the diving pool before the coach could even finish. The man's eyes widened in panic.

"DON'T RUN BY THE POOL!" He shrieked; worry evident in the way his voice increased in pitch.

Yoongi chuckled, "Isn't that a bit counterintuitive, Coach?" He was already out of the pool and doing stretches before getting ready for another couple of laps, yet he didn't expect the flick he received on his forehead.


	3. Wave 3

Jungkook's heart was pounding rapidly and he was pretty certain that it wasn't only due to the race. Maybe it was because he was desperately trying not to hungrily gaze at the wonders of Park Jimin in cyan blue swim shorts from the corner of his eye. He was already a complete mess after having seen the blond-haired boy leave the locker room with his smooth, milky skin glowing and his toned muscles on show. The brown-haired boy couldn't fathom how he looked so small and dainty yet lean and muscular. Nature surely shouldn't be allowed to create such a thing, yet Park Jimin somehow existed. Jungkook subconsciously licked his lips. He really didn't think that there would be a day that he's drooling over another guy's abs, but here he was; trying not pounce on the boy standing next to him. Jungkook let out an almost inaudible sigh. He came to swim...not to get sexually confused.

The shrill sound of a whistle drilled into his ears and the boy nearly jumped into the pool out of sheer shock. Jungkook steadied himself as his peers filled the room with echoes of laughter. The boy turned to glare at Coach Choi who was cackling behind him due to having blown the whistle for no apparent reason. Nevertheless, Jungkook felt like floating on clouds as Jimin's sweet, honey-like giggles dripped into his ears.

"Alright," everyone quietened immediately at the sound of Coach Choi's voice, "Our fastest ever swimmer is about to race a former Sindong High champion. Everybody place your bets now with imaginary money because we're about to find out whether we're going to have a new king on the throne." His voice boomed with excitement.

Jungkook looked down at the water whilst Jimin merely looked straight ahead. Their matching black swim caps were secured tightly on their heads as they simultaneously strapped on their identical, blue swim goggles. Jungkook slowed down his breathing; eyes following the ceaseless waves of the clear blue water below them. The rhythmic, never-ending movements soothed him and whispered to him familiar yet comforting words.

As long as the water always moves- he will always win.

**************************

"On your marks, get set...GO!"

Coach Choi's whistle rang out yet again as the Jimin and Jungkook leaped forwards in unison. They didn't seem human as their legs moved rapidly like machinery; thrusting in and out of the water. Jungkook moved with the waves whilst Jimin fought against it. 

Jungkook pushed forwards with great force. His arms outstretched with every wave that splashed out from under him. The water extended his body as he lengthened towards the other end of the pool. His ears filled up with water; tuning out the rippling waves that his opponent left behind. Jungkook took a deep breath of air before curling into himself, twisting with the water spiralling around him and pushing his feet off the cold, white tiles. He surged forward yet again. Burning limbs bursting through the water in a chaotic yet beautiful mantra of push, arms, legs, legs. Jungkook felt his aching muscles pulse uncontrollably yet his heart was overflowing with joy. Halfway to the finish, he felt as though he was racing with the water and no one else. 

Jungkook's head tore through the bright, blue waves of water; escaping his soaking wet wonderland and entering reality. However, the sight he came across couldn't have been farther from the word real. He whipped off his goggles to get rid of the water droplets obscuring his vision; hoping he would see differently this time. Nothing changed, yet at the same time so many things did...

He didn't win. 

Jungkook's world had literally been turned upside down. Why weren't the fish swimming in the sky? Why weren't the birds flying in the sea? He simply couldn't comprehend why the water still moved around him.

He tried to stop the sounds from slithering back in as they were dangerously close to becoming words again. Jungkook shook his head quickly. His breathing became harsh and the knuckles of his trembling hands, gripping at the pool's edge, were turning white. He could feel himself plummeting down into a bottomless, dark abyss with no way out...until Jimin's golden blond hair appeared in front of him like a light at the end of a tunnel. 

He was no longer jumping and cheering with the rest of the swim team. Jimin was crouched down before the boy; gently lifting up Jungkook's chin so their eyes could meet. Jungkook knew exactly what he was looking at now; a demon disguised as an angel. He glared back at Jimin's sincere smile; furious at how the blond was leaning forward yet loving it at the same time. Jungkook nearly called for a defibrillator when he felt Jimin's thumb slowly, yet sensually pass over his bottom lip.

"I guess you should start calling me, master, then." Jimin whispered softly.

It was at that moment that Jungkook realised what his cause of death will be.

The blond was just about to get up until Jungkook took a hold of his arm and pulled him forward. Jimin splashed into the water; both of their hair now soaked as Jungkook had him trapped between his body and the pool's edge. Jimin looked from left to right to realise that the boy's muscular arms had encased him on either side. Jungkook heard the boy's sharp intake of breath as he began to close in on him. He nearly smirked at how Jimin was now struggling to look him in the eyes.

"Now, listen carefully." Jungkook began in a deep tone that was unfamiliar to him, yet it rumbled through Jimin's ears making him feel somewhat dazed. "You and I are going to race against each other everyday until I beat you. Morning, afternoon and evening. Before homeroom, during lunch time and after school. Got that?"

Jimin nearly asked him to repeat every single word again.

"I think," he replied in his usual soft tone of voice whilst resting his hands on Jungkook's chest and gradually lowering them, he let out a smile when he noticed how fast his heart was beating under his palm, "I'll race you when I want to." Jimin was now keeping strong eye contact with the brown-haired boy. Jungkook hated how intimidating his golden-brown orbs were.

"I think..." He moved forward even more, pushing the blond further into the edge of the pool as the space between their lips became a mere few inches. "You'll do as I say." 

Jimin's eyes fluttered close as he felt Jungkook's breath down his neck. "Why should I?" he questioned defiantly in a low whisper. Jimin struggled to contain the shiver that ran through him as the boy let out a low growl.

Jungkook leaned down, a quiet and sensual whisper trailing into Jimin's ear, "I'm a really sore loser." 

The blond nearly started hyperventilating; no longer managing to keep eye contact with the intense, deep brown orbs that stared back at him. Jimin knew exactly what kind of game Jungkook was playing and to be completely honest- he was losing. Jungkook smirked at how Jimin's cheeks flushed pink. He had no choice but to surrender at this point.

"A-alright, alright, you win." Jimin muttered, seemingly very flustered as he began to push the brunet away, who held back a laugh.

They both got out of the pool to receive very confused stares from the rest of their team, but Coach Choi was still raving about how Jimin's time beat Jungkook's personal best; too ecstatic to care about what they were up to in the pool. Hoseok opened his mouth to question them only to be silenced by Yoongi nudging his side and shaking his head.

"Jimin, your time was incredible!" the coach shouted in disbelief, still staring at his stopwatch. He quickly wrote down Jimin's time and shook his hand rather enthusiastically.

The boy just smiled shyly in response and muttered a "Thank you."

Coach Choi then turned to Jungkook and ruffled his soaking wet locks of brown hair. "Now, here's one thing I could never teach you, kid, and that's losing."

Jungkook felt his heart tremble under the weight of a ton of breaks when he heard the very word he dreaded; the same word he never thought would even have to be in his vocabulary. 

"It'll be a bit of a shock at first, but you'll get over it eventually." Coach Choi continued with a reassuring smile; dimples deepening with sincerity. "I'm off to get the jackets for our new team members!" He said cheerily, already walking off.

Jungkook doubted he'd ever get over losing for the first time in his life. How could he get over something he still couldn't even accept? 

"Hey, Jungkook," Yoongi began with a sly smirk, "Didn't you say you would beat them at-"

"Any race-" Hoseok added.

"Any distance-" Jin chipped in.

"And any stroke?" Namjoon finished as they all continued to laugh at Jungkook who was as silent as ever. They had no ill intent, yet they were unaware of how there was a darkness inside him that grew with every chuckle and every snigger.

Jimin noticed how Jungkook's blank expression hadn't left his face for a while and his lack of a response somehow worried him a bit. 

"This doesn't change the fact that he's still an amazing swimmer. It only means that he's finally met his match." Jimin said triumphantly as he gave the boy a comforting glance.

The look on Jungkook's face was now a mixture of confusion and surprise as Jimin grabbed his wrist. "Come on then, didn't you want a rematch?"

The brunet let out a small smile as they went back to their pool and got into position. The other team members glanced at each other; the guilt now apparent on their faces as they hadn't expected Jungkook to take his first loss so seriously. The team leader sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I hope he knows that we were only joking." Namjoon said solemnly.

"We probably shouldn't have assumed he would take it lightly." Yoongi added quietly. They all muttered in agreement before they were interrupted by a booming voice sounding from a megaphone. 

"WHY IS TAEHYUNG THE ONLY ONE SWIMMING RIGHT NOW?" Coach Choi yelled, he was holding two blue jackets in one hand and that damn megaphone in another. They all jumped in unison, covering their ears at the loud sound as Jungkook and Jimin fell into the pool in shock.

"I thought you said you hid it well-" Jin hissed.

"I did!" Hoseok muttered back defiantly.

"YOU'VE GOT AN HOUR AND A HALF LEFT-" 

"Well, you obviously didn't!" the pink-haired boy argued.

Hoseok scrunched his nose making Yoongi mumble the word "cute" on impulse. They all looked at him as he coughed and Hoseok's cheeks were gradually turning as red as his hair. 

"DIVERS BETTER START DIVING AND SWIMMERS BETTER START SWIMMING IN 5...4..." 

They all scattered instantly.

**************************

Jungkook's head broke through the water for about the millionth time now. His lungs burned and pain seared through his limbs like poisonous venom racing through his veins. There was a slight tremor in his wrinkled hands as he tried to hang on to the pool's edge; fingers slipping every now and again. His tired doe eyes looked up to see Jimin already sitting on the edge of pool with his feet in the water. Jungkook watched the droplets of water fall from the golden strands of Jimin's hair, his body was slumped forward from exhaustion and his plump lips were parted, allowing for his ragged breaths to meld with Jungkook's panting. 

A few minutes passed as the two managed to catch their breath. Everyone else had returned from the locker room as they collectively wondered why the pair were still in the pool. 

"Jungkook," Jimin spoke softly, the brunet felt a sudden flutter in his chest as he met eyes with the beauty in front of him, "I'm tired." 

It took the boy a few seconds to comprehend what Jimin meant as he began to nod his head. The blond then placed a hand on Jungkook's cheek and smiled sweetly. The brown-haired boy wondered how his hand was still so soft despite the multiple lines that grooved his skin. His touch somehow warmed his cheek but also froze his insides. Jimin moved his thumb slowly against his skin, "Make sure to get some rest, you swam a lot today." 

Jungkook appreciated how the boy's tender voice was filled with kindness rather than pity. The coldness returned to his cheek and he felt his heart sink. He looked up to see

Jimin stand up and shyly wave at him. "See you tomorrow."

He let out a hoarse whisper "Yeah." 

The brunet couldn't fathom why he failed to string a few words together. His mind had gone blank just like the expression on his face. He didn't catch Jimin's worried glance as Taehyung was already dragging him towards the locker room. 

Every ounce of confidence he once felt had now vaporised into nothingness. He had lost to Jimin every single time; they wordlessly swam again and again until evening fell, casting a light indigo and lilac glow upon the orange hues of the sun setting. Jungkook messily climbed out of the pool; his body trembling with fatigue, limbs buckling under his weight, knees scraping against the floor as he collapses onto the ground. He simply laid there; thinking about nothing and everything at the same time. The sound of his breathing echoed like a soulless rhythm accompanied with the melody of the water swishing and rustling. Jungkook's hands were motionless before curling into fists; forcing the gate to stay closed as a barrage of tears threatened to spill through the cracks. The words were slithering back into his cold, dark mind. He didn't fight it this time. Jungkook played them in his mind like an endless song on a record player; all the words were true. 

"You're pathetic." He muttered; allowing his own mouth to drive the knife deeper into his still-beating heart. The words echoed throughout the room, throwing him around and crashing him into the walls they bounced upon. Jungkook shakily sat up and turned around. His legs were still paralysed from agony and extreme fatigue, but he had to get back into the water even if it meant crawling. He was on his knees, facing the pool before a voice suddenly erupted from a megaphone. 

"GET AWAY FROM THE POOL, JEON!" Coach Choi ordered. He began walking towards the broken boy who was still attempting to get into position and jump into the pool. His body wavered and he slipped forward. 

Jungkook's voice wasn't strong enough to scream at the man who had an arm securely wrapped around his torso; stopping him from falling into the arms of his beloved. He needed to keep swimming. The boy glared at Coach Choi with a wild look in his eyes, yet his coach could notice how they were filled to the brim with fear. Coach Choi proceeded to drag Jungkook away from the pool to his great dismay. He dropped his megaphone and gripped both of Jungkook's shoulders as the boy continued to try fighting out of his hold. 

"Listen," the coach commanded, rolling his eyes when he noticed how the boy still stared desperately water, "Look at me when I'm talking to you." Coach Choi demanded whilst shaking him slightly until the boy's frightened doe eyes looked back at him. "You swam way too much today. In fact, I should've banned you from practice today, but you were so eager to race Jimin. He told me you were still in the pool, so I came to check if you really were being an idiot," Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows when he felt Coach Choi smack the back of his head, "turns out you still were."

He turned Jungkook into the direction of the locker room and sighed as the boy turned back around. "If you continue like this, I'm going to ban you from practising at lunch and the pool won't be open to you in the morning." Coach Choi deadpanned. Jungkook wordlessly walked towards the locker room whilst his coach anxiously watched the way his legs trembled slightly with every step.


	4. Wave 4

Jimin scrunched his nose and pouted his lips; repulsed by the scent of chlorine that still clung to his hair. Taehyung giggled at the blond boy's cuteness before linking arms with him as they unconsciously fell into step with one another. Jimin tried to focus on his surroundings to distract himself from the stench of chlorine as well as the brown-haired boy that was still running through his mind.

The neighbourhood they walked through was peaceful and calm. The autumn wind rustled through the rose bushes that lined across the entrances of the uniform suburban houses, it danced through the branches of the trees; slipping through the multi-coloured leaves, carrying away the rain droplets that slid down their dust-orange surfaces. The sounds of children laughing or a dog barking excitedly would occasionally be heard in the distance.

"What's on your mind, Chim?" Taehyung asked; his voice as soft as the breeze that soothed them.

Jimin let out a frustrated sigh. "Nothing." 

"Exactly, you airhead-" Taehyung said with a chuckle.

"Hey!" Jimin punched his best friend's shoulder lightly whilst giggling; laughing along with Tae before leaning into his arm. Taehyung had a content smile on his face as he gently patted Jimin's slightly damp hair.

"Seriously though, what're you thinking about?" 

"A doe-eyed idiot." Jimin replied; mumbling into Taehyung's sweater. His best friend raised an eyebrow. "He seemed really arrogant and cocky at first, but I feel like there's more to it. I don't think I've ever voluntarily swam that much in my life, yet for him...it seemed like he was willing to go on forever."

They were silent for a few moments, allowing for Jimin's words to drift through the cool, gentle wind and fly with the dead leaves in the air. Taehyung subconsciously tightened their linked arms.

Taehyung's velvety deep voice broke through the tranquil silence. "My first impression of him wasn't that great. I think he really loves swimming though." His words were filled with sincerity as always.

A part of Jimin was envious of the way Jungkook would throw himself into the water without a single trace of hesitation on his face, whilst Jimin's body gradually slowed down with every rematch, Jungkook somehow quickened instead. He envied how the water seemed to weaken him, yet it strengthened his rival. Jimin knew better than to think that Jungkook had unlimited stamina. He couldn't help but worry when he saw that the brown-haired boy still hadn't left the pool.

Jimin's thoughts were interrupted as Taehyung spoke up again. 

"Why'd you swim so much today?" 

Jimin furrowed his eyebrows, seemingly thinking hard about his answer as he looked down at the concrete pavement. Taehyung waited patiently, licking his drying lips against the wind whipping across his face every now and again. Jimin knew he would ask that eventually as they were both aware of how the blond barely ever chose to swim more than he had to. Jimin began fiddling with Taehyung's sleeve, the dark-haired boy curiously watched how his cute little fingers fumbled; softly and clumsily brushing against his wrist every now and again. 

"I felt like it." Jimin stated quietly with a stubborn, little pout.

"No, you didn't." His best friend deadpanned; his tone full of unwavering certainty.

Jimin's expression softened, his stubbornness replaced with his ever-present feelings of empathy and compassion.

"He just...he looked so sad, Tae." The blond confessed. Taehyung tensed slightly as Jimin let go of his sleeve.

"So, you felt sorry for him even though you were the one that beat him?" The dark-haired boy's tone grew incredulous.

Jimin shook his head. Pity wasn't what he felt when he stared into Jungkook's glassy doe-eyes. He felt guilt when he helplessly watched how the boy's head lowered with every loss, how his legs struggled to keep up with every defiant step he took and the way his breathing became more and more ragged...more and more desperate. Jimin was convinced that he himself was at fault.

"I should have let him win." He whispered; the genuine regret in his voice laced with the delicate gust of wind.

"He wouldn't have been happy with that either. He wanted a fair race and you gave him one- multiple, in fact-" Taehyung mentioned in a straightforward manner. 

"Then why do I feel so bad about it, Tae?" Jimin asked suddenly, his golden-brown eyes desperately searching Taehyung's face for the answer, who was slightly taken aback by the genuine anxiety in his usually soft tone. They let the silence overcome them yet again as their breaths intermingled with the crisp, autumn air. The dark-haired boy let out a deep sigh that flowed into the subtle wind around them like a wordless prayer hoping for the breeze to whisper the answer into his ear. 

"I-I don't know, Chim." Tae responded dejectedly, a chord of his heartstrings snapping as he stared at the downcast expression on his best friend's face. 


	5. Wave 5

The soothing warmth of the inside of his fluffy bunny slippers greeted the aching soles of his feet. Jungkook leaned towards the fresh-snow coloured wall; his forehead pressed against the icy feeling that streamed through his spine, providing him with a subtle burst of energy that dispersed only moments later. His thoughts were a messy disarray swimming around his head, overpowered by the exhausted yet relentless pounding of his chest. He clumsily removed himself from the wall and stumbled through the spacious hallway until his shaking fingers latched on to the door frame of the kitchen. 

Jungkook heard his mother before he saw her. A loving smile reached his face as he straightened up and leaned against the door frame. 

"Young man, do you know what the time is? What do you think you're doing out so late?" his mother feigned the anger in her voice that was mainly filled with worry and concern. Jungkook's eyes ran across the multiple glass-screened cupboards and cabinets until he saw the diamond-encrusted wall clock; the hands were already heading towards eight o'clock. Before he could respond he was abruptly engulfed into a warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around her small and delicate figure and breathed in his mother's sweet lavender perfume that was laced with a gentle jasmine scent; calming his senses. 

She wordlessly led him to one of the silver kitchen chairs. He sat down immediately and allowed his back to sink into the soft cushiony material. She sat down next to him. Lines of worry appeared on her usually smooth forehead and her dark brown doe eyes filled with anxiety as she warily watched the pained expression on her son's face. His mother hastily prepared a glass of water before placing it in front of him on the silver, marble table. He let out a small "Thank you.", before raising the glass to his lips. Her fingers anxiously fumbled with her apron as she watched the way his hands trembled. She ended up taking the glass from him and helped him drink the water like a child.

Jungkook scrunched his face, his cheeks turning pink from embarrassment as his mother merely chuckled and shook her head. "It's like you're not even turning 19 next year." She joked lightly, yet a part of her was grateful for being able to reminisce over how she'd help him drink from his baby bottle. His mother then set down the glass, propping her elbow on to the table and resting her cheek on her hand. "Now, explain yourself." Her gentle tone of voice reminded him that he wasn't in any trouble.

Jungkook turned to look at his mother's beautiful face; her features were soft and delicate, her wisps of midnight-black hair that escaped from her messy bun fell on to her flawless and seemingly ageless skin. He peered into the same chocolate brown doe eyes that they shared; her own seemed to be probing his for answers. 

"I'm sorry, I lost of track time whilst I was doing swim practice." He stated solemnly.

She raised her perfect eyebrows, "So you were swimming for how many hours?" she asked incredulously.

Jungkook leaned on to the cold, marble table. "I- I lost count."

"Did you swim in the morning?"

"Yes."

"Did you swim during lunch?"

"Yes."

Jungkook yelped as he felt his mother slap the back of his head.

"Jeon Jungkook! You do realise that you don't have to burn yourself out like this?" Her voice was raised, and he grimaced at the way her tone was filled with panic and fear. She suddenly stood up from her chair and began bustling around the kitchen, setting out the meal she had initially prepared for his usual arrival at 5 o'clock.

"I'm alright, Mother. I'm clearly not dead-"

"Yet." She deadpanned defiantly as she placed multiple plates of food in front of him. His eyes widened at the sight before him as his senses became overwhelmed by an assortment of vivid, vibrant colours and tantalising smells. Then he pouted childishly once his mother took a pair of chopsticks and fed him a piece of kimchi but chose not to complain as he was silenced by the familiar, yummy taste of his mother's magnificent cooking.

His mother continued to feed him until she was certain that he had gained most of his strength back and handed him the chopsticks. A doting smile appeared on her face as he proceeded to stuff his face with a bright look in his eyes. She ruffled his light brown hair adoringly.

"How was your day?" His mother asked softly.

He turned to her with puffy cheeks filled with food and sauce dripping from his lips. She laughed whilst shaking her head and took some tissue to wipe his mouth whilst muttering something about how much of a kid he still is. He finally gulped down all the food in his mouth before replying.

"It was fine." Jungkook answered like he was on autopilot only to realise that, truthfully, it wasn't fine. He tried not to recall what had happened that day, but it all came rushing back into his mind regardless. 

His mother immediately noticed the change in his mood as he began to eat a bit slower. "Did anything interesting happen today?" 

"Two former Sindong students transferred to my school." He replied bluntly, trying to reveal as little detail as possible. Unfortunately, his mother's ears perked up at the name

"Sindong".

"Isn't that an elite school? Are they in your year?" She questioned with more enthusiasm than he had hoped for.

"Yes."

"Have you met them?"

"Yes."

"What are they like?" She wondered if they would be stuck up and pretentious and Jungkook took note of how they were actually nothing like that. He wished she didn't ask that question as he now couldn't help but think about the blond-haired angel he had met.

"They're polite and pretty charming actually. Of course, they're well-mannered considering that they came from Sindong High. They're talented without a doubt, in fact they both joined the swim team. Kim Taehyung is a long-distance swimmer, he seems like a friendly person, although I didn't speak to him much." Jungkook said everything in a matter-of-fact way before continuing to eat.

His mother nodded before furrowing her eyebrows. "What about the other one?"

Jungkook nearly choked on a piece of meat as she asked the question he dreaded the most. He drank his water before answering as his mother continued to give him a puzzled look. 

"He- uh- his name is um...Park Jimin and he's uh-" Jungkook stuttered and stumbled throughout his failed sentence, placing food inside his mouth as an excuse to not speak. 

His mother crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Cat got your tongue?"

Jungkook looked away and chewed very slowly.

"Did something happen between the two of you?" She asked suggestively, which shocked her son.

He exclaimed a response defiantly with his mouth still full of food, his mother was able to decipher the words as "Nothing happened!"

She flicked his forehead and he rubbed it immediately. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

Jungkook swallowed his food and allowed for his thoughts to escape his mouth.

"I don't understand how nature allowed someone as flawless as Park Jimin to exist, his beauty is ethereal, and I'm honestly taken aback every time I look at him. I never thought I'd call a guy beautiful but this- this angel is making me rethink a lot of things today. Not only is he insanely gorgeous, he's extremely talented at swimming. It just isn't fair! I finally have a rival, but he had just had to be perfect in every single way-" Jungkook finally bit his tongue as he came to terms with how much he had revealed.

His mother merely blinked at him. Jungkook anxiously searched her seemingly blank expression, feeling relief when he noticed how the corner of her mouth twitched as she tried not to laugh. The feeling of relief was quickly replaced with dread once he saw the mischievous glint in her brown eyes.

"It sounds as though my boy finally has a crush on someone..." His mother concluded with a cheeky grin.

"Mother no-"

"Didn't you pretty much say you find him attractive?" She questioned with a hint of sarcasm.

"I didn't say that- why would I- he's a guy-" He stammered defensively.

"Does it matter?" 

Jungkook stared into his mother's eyes to try and find the right answer. He wanted to know what she wanted him to say, but she gave him no indication as to what to reply with. It seemed as though she genuinely wanted to know what he, himself, thought.

"I don't know." He said frankly. 

His mother said nothing; she merely looked at him as though she had figured out something he simply had no clue about. Jungkook felt vulnerable under her knowing gaze; he hated the uncertainty and wanted to guard himself from his own mother for some reason, even though she was the one that made him feel safe. He suddenly felt the need to defend himself, without any idea of what was attacking him in the first place.

"I can think he's good-looking without finding him attractive." Jungkook huffed.

He watched his mother roll her eyes. "That doesn't make any sense, sweetie."

Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows, "Yes, it-"

"And you said much more than him just being 'good-looking'." His mother stated matter-of-factly. 

Jungkook silently poked a chopstick into a piece of mochi, hating how it reminded him of Jimin's cute, little cheeks. He felt himself blush before he hastily ate one. 

His mother flashed another grin, "You said he's-" 

"I know what I said."

"Would you like to say more about him?" She asked with genuine interest.

Jungkook stopped himself from abruptly saying no. He didn't know why he felt the sudden need to spill his thoughts. He hadn't opened up to any of his friends about what he thought about Jimin, but for some reason he just really wanted to describe him. Maybe he wanted to prove how unreal the boy is. Jungkook ended up nodding sheepishly; feeling more at ease once his mother smiled encouragingly at him.

He nervously began to speak, "Th-the first thing I noticed about him was his voice. He speaks so softly, I- I know it's cheesy but- it sounds like he's singing a lullaby." Jungkook frowned at his mother, "Stop laughing at me!" He whined. She quietly sniggered before making a zipping motion across her mouth. Her son sighed before continuing. "His hair is blond, and he had it in cute, little curls that bounced whenever he moved. His eyes are so pretty; I kept getting lost in them. They were brown but like- golden at the same time. He has the most adorable chubby cheeks, honestly he looks a bit like mochi," Jungkook chuckled quietly at the thought, his mother's smile grew at the sight of her son's eyes twinkling with glee. Jungkook stopped himself from mentioning Jimin's pink, plump lips, but he couldn't hide the way his cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of pink. "He's so small and it makes him even cuter, but I just don't get how he's so cute yet so- so-" Jungkook failed to think of the right word to say.

His mother clapped her hands when she realised what he was trying to say. "Sexy?"

Jungkook immediately agreed without hesitation "Yes!", then it dawned on him how inappropriate it was, "I- I mean no!"

His mother cackled at the look of shock on her son's face. He felt his ears and cheeks burn with embarrassment. Jungkook tried his best to stay silent as she began clearing the table with an amused smirk on her face. He got up to help her only to feel his mother's hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down into his seat. Jungkook gave her a grateful smile before muttering a small but sincere "Thank you."

She gracefully walked over to the spotless, glistening steel sink and loaded their priceless antique plates and cutlery into their modern, high-tech dishwasher that hummed to life. Jungkook attempted to focus on the soft beeping sounds rather than the blond-haired beauty he couldn't get out of his head. The words escaped from his mouth before he could stop himself.

"It's not just his looks though...he's really sweet and caring yet he barely knows me." Jungkook mentioned quietly, mostly to himself.

His mother finished loading the dishwasher and walked over to the table; her light blue dress billowing above her ankles. She sat down next to him again before asking, "Did he do something nice for you?"

Jungkook thought back to how Jimin spent hours swimming with him again and again, overexerting himself out of kindness; somehow, he was sure that the boy's golden-brown eyes weren't filled with pity, which is what Jungkook appreciated the most at the time. 

"Yes, he did."

Her eyes lit up with delight. "What did he do?"

Jungkook gave his mother a worried glance before he spoke. He would have to explain how he had experienced his first loss; something that he still couldn't stomach. Nevertheless, when he met his mother's eyes he wanted to give in and hide under the shelter of her unconditional love. Jungkook knew that he could trust his mother.

He took a deep breath. "Mother, promise you won't tell-"

The sound of the front door opening echoed throughout the house. Jungkook noticed the way his mother's eyes lit up when hearing her husband's arrival. She quickly caressed the top of her son's head before getting up to greet the love of her life who had appeared by the kitchen door frame. His father immediately enveloped her in his strong arms as they shared a brief but gentle kiss. 

"Hi, honey, how was work today?" She asked sweetly, whilst undoing his bold, red tie and unbuttoning the first two buttons on his shirt.

Jungkook could see his father's cheery face as he kept his hands lightly on his wife's waist and continued to grin. "Fantastic! The deal with the Hikari's finally went through!"

His wife clapped happily, "Congratulations! I hope you just came back from celebrating?" She wondered as he looked over at the clock and a look of guilt came across his face.

"Yes, I'm sorry, my colleagues wouldn't let me leave the building until I agreed to have a couple drinks with them. But I left early because I missed you so much." He added as he flashed her smile. 

His wife smirked as she headed over to the sparkling, pristine kitchen island. "You mean you missed my cooking."

He chuckled, "That too-", his father finally spotted Jungkook siting at the table who stood up abruptly and bowed. His father smiled wider as he asked, "How was school today, son?" 

"It was fine."

Jungkook felt his father ruffle his hair. He looked up to see his father's handsome yet rugged features; dark smiling eyes peering through black, rectangular glasses, a big, long nose that they both shared and strong facial features that were complimented by his dark brown, perfectly cut beard which matched his perfectly styled hair. 

"How many laps were you able to do?" he questioned, his cheerful tone slightly hardening. 

His mother cut him off before Jungkook could reply. "He practically swam all day, in fact, he came home nearly 3 hours late because he was out practising late! You should stop encouraging him, it's not healthy."

His father seemed a little dumbfounded. "Nonsense, he's simply following in his father's footsteps," he retorted proudly, messing up Jungkook's hair again whilst unknowingly filling his son with joy and relief. "When I was your age I never went to bed with energy. You're giving it you're all and that's what matters." 

"It's his health that matters!" His mother shouted from the stove. The kitchen began to fill with the smell of spices and seasoning as well as the sound of frying. Jungkook giggled as his father playfully rolled his eyes and skipped over to his wife. 

"Look at him, he's still standing, isn't he?" 

"You really don't get it, do you?"

His father smartly chose to say nothing and responded by kissing her cheek. Jungkook sat back down at the kitchen table and watched his father sit opposite him, he felt his muscles tense as he waited for the man to say something.

"My colleague told me her son moved to your school. He transferred from Sindong, apparently, along with his friend. They're around the same the age as you. Have you met them?  
Jungkook nodded. "What's the name of your colleague's son?" he asked with a hint of nervousness.

"Park Jimin." He responded blatantly. Jungkook's mother turned to look at him whilst he silently cursed his bad luck and dreaded anything else his father was going to say on the matter.

"You two should get along well since he's a swimmer too. I'm sure he joined the swim team," his father grinned, "I hope you showed him who's boss during practice."

Jungkook wished he could simply disappear as his heart felt as though it was ready to give up on him, yet it beat rapidly in his chest; pumping with fear rather than blood. 

"Oh, who am I kidding? You're my son, of course, you beat him! I bet you beat both of them without even breaking a sweat," Jungkook paled as his father chuckled with delight and his face beamed with pride. "Jimin's mother is the company's data analyst and your mother and I have known her since high school. So, I hope you and Jimin will become good friends as well as rivals." His father laughed again before giving him a thumbs up and going over to his wife.

Jungkook was all too aware of the sickening feeling that sprouted from the depths of his gut as he came to terms with how much his father overestimated him. He wasn't even close to beating Jimin in a race and barely swam long-distance unlike Taehyung who had been doing it for years. Jungkook stood up and felt as though a humongous weight was crushing down on to him. 

"Jungkook," he made eye contact with his father who's smiling eyes had returned to their usual steely gaze that made him freeze all over, "if you've got enough energy to stand, you may as well put in a couple more laps." His tone was hard and unwavering.

His mother turned around immediately, "Didn't I tell you he came home late from practising so much? He swam in the morning, afternoon and evening, what more must he do?"

"I also swam at night." His father stated curtly.

She rolled her eyes, "He isn't you. Honey, let the boy rest."

"Mother, it's fine. I can do a couple more laps." Jungkook cut in with a small, strained smile. She frowned and before she could argue, her husband spoke.

"That's my boy! You see, he's just like me." His father was smiling again, the steely look in his eyes were replaced with a doting expression that made Jungkook feel light and giddy for a split second, until he registered the unbearable pain he still felt in his legs as he headed upstairs to change.


	6. Wave 6

The glaring moonlight showered over the enormous back garden; shining through the light ripples of the shimmering, clear water of the pool. Jungkook's doe eyes stared through the water; searching for a meaning or an answer as to why something he loved so much could hurt him in such a way. He peered at the deep, distorted lines etched into his fingers, as though they had been drained of all his blood. Something that gave him life could make him look so lifeless. His lips quivered as he let out another ragged breath. His arms wavered as he gripped on to edge of the pool. His legs shuddered under the weight. Yet, he closed his eyes and threw himself into the water without a second thought.  
His limbs refused to listen to his will this time. He had dived right into the colossal, inevitable and insurmountable wall of pure exhaustion. Jungkook felt his fragile body slam into the bricks as he crashed into the water. The liquid had become solid; completely shutting him out. The water clawed through him, pushing through his nostrils, rushing through his mouth and scorching his insides like hellfire. His consciousness convulsed and jerked like a solitary fish gasping for breath, violently hammering itself onto the dry, heat-washed ground. He watched motionlessly as the darkness crept around him and the light of the moon began to dim. 

Jungkook's body finally came alive. A burst of energy surged through his muscles, finally kicking into survival mode. His eyes took in the faint slithers of silver from above. His arm reached up, straining under the shattering weight of the water that crushed his brittle bones. There was no lifeline for him to grab on to. Jungkook thrusted himself upwards, swinging his arms and pushing his legs in a chaotic frenzy like he was desperately climbing out of a bottomless pit. 

The cool air crashed into his ears when his head broke through the surface. He let out the mightiest gasp his frail body could muster, and his lips trembled; mouth ceasing to close as he frantically fed on the breeze around him. His pale hands scraped against the hard edge of the pool, grating into his skin as he used the last of his strength to lift himself out of the pool. His chest heaved with every spluttered cough, retching out the poison that seared against his throat and seeped into his lungs. Every breath he took sounded like the inner workings of a broken machine; each rusted joint grinding against loose bolts and screws, releasing a sickening screech every time he moved. 

Jungkook lay inert on the ground once his breathing had calmed down. There was a growing feeling of acceptance within him. Today was the day he was betrayed by his greatest love. It was the day that he first lost. Nevertheless, there was only one thing he truly didn't want to accept. It was also the day...that he first drowned. Jungkook may have survived, yet he couldn't help but feel as though a part of himself had died. The water had always been so gentle with him, so soothing and loving; caressing his delicate body with every wave like a mother's hand running over her baby's back. He never thought it could be so cruel and merciless, digging its claws into him, puncturing his flesh and dragging him down deep into it's cave like a ravenous beast. 

Jungkook had recovered enough strength to sit up and rip off his swimming cap. He raised his head up to the night sky. The moon shone down on him like a spotlight, mockingly displaying how much of a failure he was for all the world to see. Jungkook took off his swimming goggles and found himself wondering why the sky was still blurry.


	7. Wave 7

Jimin sank into himself, wrapped up in the soft material of his baby blue pyjamas and hidden under his white duvet as he texted his best friend. He heard his bedroom door swing open and poked his head out of his cloud-like burrow. His father practically skipped into his room, their faces mirroring the same crescent-shaped eyes as they grinned in each other's presence. Jimin was suddenly engulfed into a warm embrace, held tightly yet softly in the arms of his dad. He abruptly ruffled his child's blond curls and playfully rubbed his knuckles into his scalp, gently trapping him in a loose headlock. His son's laughter echoed throughout the quaint bedroom that was neither too big nor too small. Jimin jokingly punched into his father's taut chest and abdomen, eventually resorting to more hectic measures like attempting to bite or headbutt him. The pair of them continued to playfight like children, limbs waving about in chaos, laughing and shouting hysterically until Jimin finally surrendered and allowed his blond hair to be a complete mess atop his head. He pouted as his father threw himself back on to his bed, holding his stomach as his raucous laughter died down to mere chuckles. Their golden-brown eyes twinkled with mischief as they silently challenged each other. 

Jimin sat up against the headboard and his father lay sprawled at the foot of his bed. He had always envied how handsome his father was and wondered why he didn't inherit the same strong bone structure, wavy black locks, sharp jawline and most of all- tall height. Instead he only got the "cute" things like his smile, eyes and adorable button nose. Jimin proceeded to poke his father's side with his foot, prompting him to speak.

"What was that for?" the boy questioned; his tone whiny. His father pinched his toe, making him squeal in surprise.

"You barely spoke to me when you got home. You hid yourself upstairs and even ate without me! I don't even know how your day went!" He responded with mock anger but a hint of hurt.

Jimin sighed. "I just wanted to take a bath and be comfortable."

His dad scoffed. "What a lame excuse!"

The boy merely rolled his eyes with a slight smile. 

The man rolled on to his side to face his son. "You came home later than you're supposed to, I'm guessing you joined the swim team?"

Jimin nodded, muttering an "of course".

His father clapped excitedly before asking about his first day at Suyeong High. 

"It was fine." He replied bluntly.

Jimin yelped as his leg received a slap. His father scowled.

"You know full well we don't use that word in this household. Now, tell me how it really was and what happened." He said sternly though his eyes were soft as he watched his son's expression.

"Alright, well...I think I made some new friends. They're pretty funny and they seem cool, all of them are on the swim team. I'm glad Taehyung and I had similar schedules; I would have been lost without him. I also swam...a lot."

His dad's eyebrows raised slightly at the last sentence. "Voluntarily?"

"Y-yes."

He was even more intrigued now. He watched as his son fiddled with the duvet; golden-brown eyes glazing over as though he was thinking about someone and his cheeks were slightly dusted pink.

"Was there a particular reason?" 

Jimin opened and closed his mouth multiple times before words actually forced their way out. "Well, I may have found myself a rival."

His father exclaimed enthusiastically, "Oooooh! A rival!"

"I mean- I beat him, but he was hellbent on winning. So, we did rematch after rematch after rema-"

"That's why you came home late? You really lost track of time whilst swimming." His father mentioned with a small smile. 

Jimin chuckled. "Yeah, it's been a while."

His dad moved closer to him, placing his head on his hands and swinging his legs up in the air like a teenage girl ready to gossip. "Tell me about your rival," His son rolled his eyes, "Is he handsome?" his father sang in a shrill voice. Jimin couldn't help but giggle at how ridiculous he was.

A truthful answer escaped his mouth before he could stop himself. "Yes, he's handsome, like...insanely handsome." Jimin responded dreamily.

His father's warm brown eyes widened, his legs swinging with interest as he prompted Jimin to continue. He chuckled as his son blushed an even deeper shade of pink.

"H-his name is Jeon Jungkook, he's extremely talented at swimming. He's so good they call him the 'Golden Fin' and he's the school's number one swimmer. H-he's like lightning in the water. I could watch him swim forever, it's like I'm stuck in a trance every time I look at him. Everything about him is flawless, like he's sculpted to perfection from head to toe. Is he even human? I swear the way he looks at me should be illegal. Who does he think he is? Being both at the same time-"

His father tried to suppress his laughter at his son's sudden outburst. "Being what at the same time?" he questioned mischievously.

Jimin stuttered. "Cute an-and-"

His dad's eyes lit up with an epiphany. "Sexy?"

"Yes!", Jimin gasped in surprise at his lack of a filter. "I mean-"

"Oh, I know exactly what you mean." His father winked before laughing at his son's horrified expression. "I'm sensing a crush." Jimin's dad sang playfully. Jimin shook his head, his blond curls bouncing rapidly. He hit his dad with one of his pillows, consequently commencing a good old-fashioned pillow fight.

They eventually tired themselves out, his father surrendering first this time. He sat up against the headboard whilst Jimin curled himself into his father's side and was enveloped into his arms. His dad held him tenderly like he was holding a new-born, as though he had never aged at all and would never age at all. He delicately kissed the top of his son's head and pretended as though he had time-travelled 16 years into the past. The wind whistled softly, and the leaves rustled against the window, stroking the fragile glass, then dancing slowly to the quiet song of the breeze before settling down on the bed of the earth and slumbering to the lullaby of the night.

Jimin's whisper brought his father back to reality. "Dad."

His father smiled into his hair. "Yes, son." He muttered gently. He could feel his child's heartbeat quicken. Jimin filled with uncertainty, a sense of fear and anxiety that was so foreign to him; things he had never felt around his father before. His palms began to sweat, and his chest began to rise heavily. Then a calming sensation suddenly washed over him. His father rubbed his back slowly, like when he was a baby waking up abruptly in the night, the same hand always soothed him back to sleep. His dad didn't have to say anything, he could hear his words through his touch, "Everything will be ok."

"Is it- is it okay for me to...like him?"

Jimin thought it would be impossible for his father's eyes to grow even softer.

"Is it okay to be happy?" his dad asked quietly.

"Of course, it is." Jimin replied without hesitation.

"Then I believe you know the answer."

**************************

Jimin's father glared holes into the stack of playing cards in the middle of the bed. Then he quickly looked up at his son's gloating smile and cursed. Jimin sat opposite him, chuckling at how his father's hand was practically brimming with cards whilst he only had three left. 

"Have you got any fours?" his father asked, scratching the back of his head in a somewhat comical manner.

The man narrowed his eyes at how his son shook his head in glee. "Go fish." Jimin responded triumphantly. His father groaned as he reached into the pile of cards. Jimin opened his mouth to ask for a certain card only to be interrupted.

"You got any queens?" his dad questioned, with determination in his tone.

Jimin scrunched his face at him, their eyes mirroring each other as he reminded his dad of the rules yet again. Nevertheless, his father was determined to get rid of some cards even if meant cheating, and out of pity, Jimin decided to let him ask for cards multiple times in a row.

His dad waited to receive a queen or two only to hear the words "Go fish", again. 

"You got any twos?"

"Go fish."

"You got any nines?"

"Go fish."

"You got any jacks?"

"Go fish."

"Have you got ANYTHING?" his father exclaimed, filled with pure frustration. Jimin raised an eyebrow and gave a cheeky grin.

"I've got three cards." 

His father nearly threw his deck at him as Jimin proceeded to mock him, fanning himself with his three cards. 

"Go ahead and ask then." His father muttered begrudgingly.

"You got any sevens?" 

The man chuckled before saying "Go fish", in the same fashion as his son. Jimin calmly took the first card on top of the thinning pile and looked at it. As a smile rose on Jimin's face his father's grin fell simultaneously, Jimin revealed a seven of hearts and his father threw a fit.

A bunch of playing cards were launched on to the boy's lap as his father somehow managed to get him into another headlock. The room filled with laughter and yelling once again as cards flew and pillows soared. 

"YOU CHEATED!" His father roared.

Jimin gave him an incredulous look amidst his laughter before shouting "YOU'RE ONE TO TALK-"

"What's with all this noise?" a smooth yet sharp tone sliced through the playful atmosphere. 

Jimin and his father froze for a few seconds and stared at the woman in the doorway. The pair fell apart simultaneously as Jimin was released from his father's hold. The dark-haired man had already gotten up, pattering over to his wife excitedly. Jimin's mother stood expectantly with a warm smile that seemed to melt her cool exterior as she was swept up in the arms of her husband. He swung her around as she giggled at his silliness, Jimin jokingly rolled his eyes at how his father seemed to think he was in some kind of movie. He finally set her down and gave her a disappointed look.

"I'm sorry I'm late. I still had some more data to analyse." Jimin's mother spoke earnestly.

"I skipped dinner for you." Her husband muttered.

She raised her eyebrows. "You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to eat with you." He huffed childishly.

His mother grinned cheerily before pecking her husband's lips and telling him to go reheat their dinner. He wordlessly obeyed his queen and jogged down the stairs.

Jimin's back straightened as his mother walked over to his bed and sat opposite him with her slender legs crossed over one another as his own legs twitched slightly under the covers. Her black, high-waisted trousers hugged her figure, accentuating how small it was. A thought about when she had jokingly commented on how her son had adopted her waistline passed through his mind briefly, leading to other details they shared in appearance. They were few but noticeable, Jimin could thank his mother for his delicately plump, pouty lips, soft cheeks and other dainty features like his small hands and adorable height. His eyes followed the way her brown hair mixed with hints of auburn, cascaded down her perfectly ironed white blouse as though the waves were freshly released from a tight bun. His mother smiled at him dotingly, yet her expression held traces of exhaustion, it was a familiar smile; one that he returned without hesitation, like an automated response.

"How was your first day?" she questioned, dark eyes glistening with fondness.

"It was a pretty good first day. I made some new friends from the swim team." 

Jimin felt a prick of relief at the way her smile grew.

"I'm assuming you've met a son of a friend of mine." 

Jimin cocked his head to the side as he wondered who she was referring to. She noted his confusion and proceeded.

"I've known the Jeon's since high school, so I hope you get along with their son." His mother's eyes softened as she spoke with a genuine smile. 

He couldn't help but wonder if the universe was giving him a helping hand or not as he thought about how much of a coincidence it was. Jimin abruptly stopped his train of thought when he heard his mother's voice again, sharpened once more.

"How was practice?" 

"I swam a lot." Jimin muttered, his voice drifted off and his eyes lowered to his bedsheets.

"Willingly?" his mother asked. He could sense a hint of disbelief.

Her son nodded lightly, "I guess I did, thanks to my new rival." Jimin closed his eyes momentarily as images of Jungkook flooded his brain, the boy's bunny-like grin was so vivid he could've sworn he felt his vision cloud for a split second. Thinking about his rival was like a tidal wave he needed to suppress. He noticed the way his mother continued to buzz about how much of an improvement he's made, briefly mentioning his rival as a means of getting his competitive edge back and becoming a better swimmer. The more she spoke the more her son drifted away until he zoned out completely; lazily dancing in the mesmerising fantasy of a certain boy's dark, doe eyes. Jimin jumped slightly at his mother's cold palms on his face. He noticed the look of hurt that flashed across her face and placed his warm hands upon hers in reassurance. Jimin's lighter brown eyes stared into her darker ones, as though trying to embrace her neither physically nor verbally.

"I'm glad you're starting to take your swimming more seriously. This is your life we're talking about. You don't know where you would be without swimming and honestly neither do I. You have no idea how much it puts your father and I at ease knowing you have such a talent to depend on. So, if it means having a rival to make you more competitive, then so be it."

Her words were similar to acupuncture; tiny, flexible, steel needles that were seemingly painless and intended for healing. They were supposed to alleviate pain, yet they pricked Jimin's delicate skin, stinging like minor, unnoticeable burns that only flared momentarily.

"Don't stop swimming, sweetie." She whispered softly.

Her tired eyes lowered as she placed an icy kiss with warm intent upon her son's forehead. He had convinced himself that he couldn't feel the chill. Jimin leaned into his mother's touch when she stroked his blond curls; handling him with such care and precision as though he was a treasured piece of china she couldn't bear to break.


	8. Wave 8

The dazzling luminescence of the moon flowed through the windows, and melded with the light of the glowing, decorative stars that Jimin's parents had individually plastered on to the ceiling; using a lot of time and precision to make the whole thing glimmer with love. He couldn't remember a time when his ceiling didn't shine. His chest rose and fell at a peaceful rate as the air caressed his lungs before drifting out of his nostrils. He considered sleeping, turning and shifting about under his sheets until the soft material scratched uncomfortably against the roughness of his feet. Jimin let out a hiss of discomfort before removing his legs from his covers and opening the bottom drawer of his baby blue bedside table. His fingers sifted through various small items that seemed to be of no importance and stopped when his skin tingled at the cold touch of a tiny canister. Jimin opened it and took out a solitary tube of blister gel. He applied it on the raw, reddened skin of a few of his toes. The gel soothed his pain to the point that he barely felt it anymore. However, the back of his left heel seemed to be in worse shape, biting his lip slightly and furrowing his eyebrows at the stinging sensation. A sigh escaped his mouth; a plaster would be too noticeable. Nonetheless, Jimin took out a matchbox from the drawer that contained multiple blister plasters and placed one on the back of his foot. He put away the cannister and matchbox under the array of meaningless items and closed the drawer carefully, as though he was a criminal hiding away evidence. The blond-haired boy tucked himself into his chest and rested his chin on his knees. He let out a deep breath; relieved that there wasn't any swelling. Hopefully, the soreness would be gone by tomorrow. No one could know-

Jimin's phone began to violently vibrate on his bedside table and a fond smile appeared on his face as he read the name on the screen.  
No one but his best friend could know.

He turned on his bright yellow table lamp, grabbed his phone and wrapped himself into his duvet until he resembled a sushi roll. Jimin answered the video call and his smile grew at the sight of Taehyung's magnified V shaped chin. Tae's box-shaped grin brightened at how Jimin's head poked out of the duvet. He let out a laugh when the blond held his phone at a low angle and flared his nostrils at him. Tae made a hilariously dumb face in response making Jimin jiggle with giggles and the camera shook. After a couple moments of wordlessly goofing off, Jimin finally spoke.

"What are you up to?" 

Tae gave a content sigh before answering. "I'm in my cocoon." He spoke simply.

Jimin stared into his phone, noticing how his best friend was also rolled up in his purple duvet. They breathed quietly, chests rising and falling in unison for a few seconds.

"Same." Jimin muttered.

His best friend smiled warmly through the camera. "You a butterfly yet?"

Jimin exhaled through his nose like a silent laugh. "No."

Taehyung's dark eyes melded with Jimin's golden brown orbs in pure yet hushed understanding. 

"Me neither," Tae's deep tone reminded Jimin of the soothing nature of a calm ocean; the only water he's grown to love. He felt his eyes close momentarily at the way Taehyung's voice filled him with a tranquil sense of safety.

"And you know what, Minie?" 

Jimin's eyes shoot open, peering closely at Tae for his answers- his guidance.

"It's...it's ok to not have your wings, yet." His best friend whispered softly.

Taehyung's heart leaped with satisfaction when Jimin nodded, his golden-brown orbs glimmering with hopefulness.

The pair managed to quickly yet seamlessly change the tone of their conversation; becoming childish and lively again, as Taehyung spouted his frustrations about the death of one of his favourite manga characters.


	9. Wave 9

Namjoon let out a frustrated sigh as he shut drawer after drawer. He was beginning to lose hope as he walked out of the stylishly decorated walk-in closet and into the spacious, modern bedroom. Namjoon began to search the bedside drawers again for the third time until he finally decided to ask Jin. 

He shouted, "Jinnie!" 

"Joonie!" Seokjin yelled back from the living room.

"Did you see my-"

"You lost something again?" Jin hollered, cutting him off and Namjoon could hear the exasperation in his voice. Namjoon paused, considering the number of items he's lost so far, he was already treading on a dangerously high tightrope.

"No...I've just misplaced something." He spoke, choosing his words carefully.

His heart dropped at the sound of footsteps that accompanied Jin's voice. "Joon, you're smart enough to know that's the exact same thing."

Namjoon let out a scream as he turned to see a stark white face appear at the doorway with holes for eyes and a mouth. "GHOST!" he shrieked, backing into the drawers and knocking over a vase. Jin screamed and turned away at that exact moment, unable to hear the glass break over their hysterics. Namjoon cursed silently, standing in front of the mess and hiding it from view.

Seokjin turned back to realise that his boyfriend wasn't looking behind him- but at him.

"IT'S A FACE MASK, YOU DICKHEAD!" 

Namjoon gasped before exploding into a fit of laughter. "I'm- s-sorry!", he choked out between laughs. Jin merely rolled his eyes at him before he noticed something glinting on the carpet. Namjoon's eyes widened in panic as he quickly spun Jin around and lead him back to the living room. He dragged him down to a spotless, white sofa and motioned for his boyfriend to go back to relaxing. Jin eyed him suspiciously as he laid down on his back and rested in between his expensive pink and white cushions. Namjoon set out on his mission to put him in a good mood so he wouldn't get too mad about the vase. Jin chose not to protest as his legs were lifted on to Namjoon's lap. He began to massage his feet whilst the drama his boyfriend had been watching sounded from the 82inch tv mounted on his wall. 

Jin let out a content sigh, unknowingly putting Namjoon more at ease. He gestured for him to come closer and Namjoon proceeded to make himself comfortable whilst sprawled on top of him. He rested his head against Jin's chest, growing accustomed to the sound of his heartbeat pulsing against his ear and noticing how it sped up at his touch.

Namjoon smirked mischievously, making Jin raise an eyebrow before stroking the back of his boyfriend's white hair. Namjoon lifted himself up slightly and ran his eyes over Jin until he noticed how low the neckline of his t-shirt was. Jin followed where his eyes had landed and blushed slightly, looking back at him expectantly. Namjoon leaned in and began to trail soft kisses against his exposed collarbone, leaving a tingling sensation every time his lips came into contact with his skin causing Jin to involuntarily close his eyes. Namjoon continued until he reached the crook of his neck, each kiss becoming less delicate as he climbed higher and higher. Jin forced his eyes open at the feeling of Namjoon's teeth beginning to nibble his skin.

"Joonie, keep in mind that I'm wearing a V-neck tomorrow." He mentioned sternly but with a hint of disappointment. Namjoon simply groaned into his neck, sending vibrations through him that made his insides tremble in anticipation. Jin continued to run his hands through his boyfriend's hair. Despite enjoying Namjoon's obvious attempts at trying to put him in a good mood, he had to confirm his suspicions. "Joonie," Jin spoke gently and Namjoon looked up at him, ignoring the face mask and staring at his lovely, pink lips. 

He started to lean in. "Yes, honey?"

"Did you break my favourite vase?" Jin asked sweetly, his tone alerting Namjoon of how he was in trouble. He froze, inches away from his lips, before moving back slowly to try get to a safer distance. 

"Well- uh...you see I- um-" Namjoon stammered.

Jin had already grabbed a cushion and straddled him, whacking him with the soft material with as much strength as he could muster. "I'm- so- sorry- please- wait- Baby!" Namjoon's pleading was drowned out by the incessant sound of the cushion thwapping against him and Jin's yelling.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, NAMJOON! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW EXPENSIVE THAT VASE WAS?"

"I'll- I'll buy you- a better- more expensive- vase!" Namjoon shouted desperately.

Jin gave him a few more hits until he finally stopped and panted from exhaustion. He clambered off him and set his pink weapon back where it was on the sofa. The couple stared at each other for a few seconds and Namjoon wondered what Jin was expecting. His pink-haired boyfriend rolled his eyes. "Well, go clean it up then!" he barked in annoyance. Namjoon shuffled off the sofa and headed to the bedroom quickly. 

Jin stopped himself from facepalming when he realised his mistake. He ran over to his boyfriend whilst shouting "Wait, no! Don't touch the-"

Namjoon hid his hand behind his back when Jin entered the bedroom. He sighed before asking if he cut himself. Namjoon nodded silently and Jin pulled him by his other hand, leading him to the kitchen. He walked around the shining, stainless steel kitchen island and brought his wounded boyfriend over to the sink. Jin was so focused on gently rinsing the blood off the small cut and tenderly placing a plaster over it, he didn't notice how Namjoon was simply entranced by him. The way his long fingers worked so efficiently yet so delicately, treating him like he was more fragile and treasured than any vase could ever be. He never missed how Jin's deep caramel eyes would soften with such love and care whenever he managed to accidentally hurt himself. They had been together for years, yet his eyes never failed to show the same devotion that had always been there and Namjoon found himself believing that it will never leave. 

He continued to watch his boyfriend's hands and he didn't notice how he absentmindedly lingered on Jin's ring finger.

Seokjin softly kissed Namjoon's wound, making his boyfriend blush lightly. Namjoon leaned forward in an attempt to steal a kiss only for Jin to back away. He watched him throw away the paper from the plaster and take out a dustpan and brush from a lower black cabinet. Namjoon frowned in disappointment.

"Don't ruin my face mask." Jin deadpanned before walking out of the kitchen.

Namjoon muttered, "I'm calling ghostbusters-" 

His heart jumped when Jin popped his head out of the hallway. "What was that?" he demanded. 

"I- uh- said the toaster's busted-" Namjoon fumbled, trying to gesture at the modern silver and black toaster but he ended up smacking his uninjured hand against it. His stomach churned as he heard a boing sound. 

Well, it is now...

Jin was dangerously close to throwing the dustpan and brush at his boyfriend. He chose to ignore the fact that he broke the toaster, for the sake of his own health.

"Help me clean, NOW!" Jin ordered, marching back to the bedroom.

Namjoon yelled after him, "I'll get the vacuum!" 

**************************

Seokjin rolled around on his king-sized bed; overcome with boredom and wondering why Namjoon was still stuck in his walk-in closet. He sat up abruptly, a blatant frown on his flawless face and called for him like an impatient child. "Joonie, what the hell are you doing?"

Namjoon's white hair popped out of the walk-in closet and he took notice of his boyfriend's look of frustration. Jin brightened up when he walked over to him and placed a sweet kiss on his forehead, leaving a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of him. Jin latched on to his pyjama shirt before he could move away again and pulled him closer. Namjoon was enveloped in his arms before could do anything else. A fond smile grew on his face as he nuzzled himself into Jin; taken in by his sweet, fruity perfume. He fell on to the bed next to him and they laid there in each other's embrace. "I thought you found what you were looking for." Jin mumbled into his shoulder.

"Ah- I- uh did. I'm just getting ready for bed." Namjoon stated in a flustered manner. 

Jin rolled his eyes before biting his ear and receiving a satisfying "Ow!" from his lying boyfriend.

Namjoon pouted and thought about his lost item, reminding him of his swim team. "Have you added Taehyung and Jimin to the group chat?" he questioned.

"No, I thought you'd do it." Jin replied, starting to caress his white hair again.

"You know how forgetful I am. You're not being a very good secretary." Namjoon joked, playfully pecking his cheek.

Jin scrunched his face at him defiantly, "I'm not your secretary at all-"

"Uh huh, sure." his boyfriend left a cute kiss on his nose before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Seokjin sighed at the sound of multiple cabinets opening and closing in an attempt to find something, yet he couldn't help but give a small smile. He found himself opening the group chat on his phone to be a good secretary before cackling at the group icon and name.

'Namtiddies', accompanied by a picture of his boyfriend's impressive pecs. 

Namjoon walked out of the bathroom door, toothbrush in his mouth and toothpaste foaming as he asked "Whash shwo fwonny?"

Jin couldn't stop himself from looking directly at his chest and bursting into laughter again. The room filled with the sound of windshield wipers as he showed his phone screen to his boyfriend. Namjoon's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Wash the shell, shoongi!" he exclaimed before going back into the bathroom to rinse his mouth out. He came back and Jin could tell he was clearly flustered. "You said the t-shirt looked good on me!" he accused.

Jin tore his eyes away from the picture of Namjoon in a black, tight muscle-fit t-shirt and examined his loose pyjama shirt, knowing exactly what was hidden underneath. Namjoon felt himself walking over to him in a trance as though he was being beckoned by the deep caramel eyes of a siren. Before either of them knew it, Jin was already encased between Namjoon's legs, penetrating one another with hungry yet seductive stares. 

"I wasn't lying when I said you looked good in that shirt..." Jin uttered quietly, his hand disappearing under the fabric and smoothing over Namjoon's taut torso until his palm landed on his pecs. He felt the pace of his heart beating quicken against his hand, shivering at his burning touch as flames of desire flickered between the two. Jin continued, his voice lowering as his tone deepened, "You looked sexy as fuck." His lips passed over Namjoon's ear slightly, making him let out a ragged breath. "I think you should wear muscle-fit shirts more often-" his fingers dug into his skin.

Namjoon wordlessly lifted the hem of his shirt only to hear his ringtone blaring throughout the bedroom. They both sighed as he picked up his phone from the bedside table.

"It's Coach Choi." Namjoon stated.

Jin huffed, "More like Coach cockblock-"

Namjoon gave him a sweet but chaste kiss as a silent apology before answering. "Hello-"

"Namjoon, how many times have you lost your damn goggles?" Coach Choi boomed through the phone, Namjoon quickly climbed off his boyfriend and dashed into the bathroom. Jin merely rolled his eyes at his antics. He proceeded to change the group chat's icon to the Suyeong High logo and the name to 'Suyeong High's swim team'. However, he had forgotten to change the group chat's description.


	10. Wave 10

Jimin and Taehyung were still video calling one another when they got a sudden notification. 

"Ooh! There's a group chat," Taehyung declared, already saving each of his teammate's numbers. "Seems professional," he peered at the school logo and group name, "try not to be a weirdo-" 

"Says you!" Jimin scoffed. 

Tae chuckled at his quick response before clicking on the group chat's description. His chuckle became a hearty laugh as he read the words "Behold the almighty Namtiddies, the most powerful pair of tiddies in all of mankind and in this chat, we shall praise them in awe."

"Not as professional as we thought." Jimin mentioned as he accompanied Tae's laughter with his cute giggling. 

Jin had already sent a brief introductory message, 'Welcome to our swim team's group chat, here we will discuss swim meets, competitions and training etc."

Jimin couldn't stop himself from typing, 'And Namtiddies?'

Tae immediately sent laughing emojis that were followed by a couple of embarrassed emojis from Seokjin. Yoongi's name appeared soon after, asking why the group icon and name was changed from 'Namtiddies'. He changed it back without another word, despite Jin's attempts at trying to convince him to make the chat professional. Only for the group icon to be changed to a pair of swim goggles and for the group name to say 'GOGGLES REPORTED MISSING' by their very own leader.

Hoseok popped up and commented, 'We're far from professional as you can see.' 

Tae and Jimin chuckled as they simultaneously sent the exact same number of laughing emojis. Namjoon proceeded to ask if anyone's seen his goggles whilst he was getting berated by Jin for losing them again. Everyone but Tae replied with a no.

Taehyung had instead decided to question Namjoon, 'Do you have any other goggles?'

Namjoon replied with, 'Coach probably has a spare. But I need to find these ones in particular because they're important.'

Tae responded with, 'Why are they important?'

Jimin muttered out loud, "Oh, here we go again. Kim Taehyung, our wise sage."

"You're just jealous of my wisdom." 

Jimin laughed mockingly and looked at his phone screen to see Namjoon's adorable response. 'Because Jin got them for me and despite him having already bought like 7 pairs for me, it means more than he thinks.'

Jimin and Hoseok sent a barrage of hearts and lovey-dovey emojis whilst Yoongi sent a sick emoji that was green with disgust. Jin merely posted a blushing emoji. Jimin switched his phone back to Taehyung's face to see him stroking his hairless chin in thought before going back to typing. The blond chuckled silently to himself.

'Since it's important because of the person who got it for you, you haven't really lost your goggles as you still have it's meaning because without meaning, it is meaningless.' Tae spouted in the chat.

Everyone but Namjoon was dumbfounded, there were a bunch of baffled responses like 'what-', 'huh?' and 'that doesn't make any sense'. However, Namjoon quickly replied with, 'I get it. I never really lost my goggles in the first place.' Another trail of confused texts appeared on their screens.

Then they all paused when they saw Namjoon send, 'You're my goggles, Jinnie.'

Tae, 'Yeah, you got it!'

Hoseok, 'I don't know what that means but that's cuteee!'

Jimin, 'AWWww?'

Yoongi, 'I lost brain cells because of you-'

Jin, 'I...uh love you too?'

The blond asked his best friend what the hell that meant. "You either know or you don't know, young one." Taehyung responded teasingly.

"Young one? I'm older than you, dumbass!" Jimin huffed jokingly.

The six members of the swim team continued to chat idly amongst themselves whilst Jimin felt his mind continuously straying towards a certain boy with light brown hair. He had already saved his number, but he didn't even want to attempt asking the group about him let alone texting him privately. Jimin had already ended his call with Tae in order to avoid getting told off by his mother for staying up too late, yet he found himself staying on the chat. It was as though a part of him- no- all off him wanted to see Jungkook's name pop up. He sighed, clicking on Jungkook's profile and simply staring at his perfect face.


	11. Wave 11

Jungkook twisted and turned in his deep blue sheets, writhing around as though he was being tortured by the creeping darkness surrounding him; suffocating him until he could no longer see. He fought his eyes to stay open. The momentary nothingness that clung to his eyeballs, digging through his eyelids, reminded him of the fatal void that he encountered in his pool. His chest rose sporadically, fighting for air as though he was still drowning; falling into a bottomless abyss that no one could hear him from, his shouts and cries for help were gargled and voiceless. The blackout curtains were a barricade prohibiting any light from entering and gracing him with its presence; the same curtains that his father had recommended for him to sleep well. The waves that were meticulously painted on every single wall around him taunted him, in light they were motionless but in darkness they became monstrous and merciless tidal waves crashing towards his frail body. Jungkook's breathing became more and more erratic as his clammy, trembling hands felt for his throat. He remembered the way the water clutched his neck, strangling him in its crushing, titanium grip. His eyes glazed over with tears and searched for a lifeline to drag him out of his sleepless nightmare.

A sudden blue light radiated to his left. His phone was blinking with messages after messages. He had begun to feel stranded in an icy sea of pitch-blackness until a beacon shone intensely from a lighthouse. He swam towards his rescuers- his friends.

Jungkook's breathing quietened as the air hushed around him peacefully, his fingers still shook slightly as he opened up the group chat to see two new numbers. As his breathing slowed down, his heartbeat quickened at the thought of being able to communicate with Jimin, not like he had the balls to actually do it. He wouldn't admit it, of course, but he was intimidated by how flawless and perfect Jimin was. His aura seemed almost supernatural, like a literal angel he wouldn't dare to touch let alone offend with romantic interest. Nevertheless, Jungkook knew he couldn't lose face around his friends even if it meant shamelessly flirting. A smile grew on his face as he thought back to their little power struggle that morning. Wow, Jimin even won that too.

He saved both Jimin and Taehyung's number and spent some time scrolling through the chaotic yet entertaining chat. Hoseok suddenly sent a pair of eyes emoji.

'Jungkook, I see you~',

Jungkook could've sworn he could hear him cheerfully singing the message. He watched the top of the screen, dismissing every name that wasn't 'Jimin' typing. His heart stopped when a certain blond's name popped up and leaped when he saw his text.

'Is our Jungkookie hiding?', Jimin asked, cutely adding a peek-a-boo emoji. Jungkook finally decided to start typing.

'Jungkookie?'

Jimin sent a blushing emoji and 'It's cute, no?'

'You're cute, Jiminnie.' Jungkook sent on a whim before he could regret anything.

The whole chat became even more of a mess as everyone but Jimin and Jungkook sent a string of emojis and messages.

Jin, 'Son, that was smooooth!'

Namjoon, 'You're going to jail, that move was so good that it's illegal.'

Hoseok, 'YOU LITTLE RASCAL!'

Taehyung, 'OOooooH! Jimin how do you even come back from that?'

Yoongi, 'Imma get diabetes.'

As Jungkook grew more comfortable with interacting with the group again, Namjoon had sent a long and heartfelt message about how sorry they were for being insensitive and making fun of him back at practice. They all took turns to remind him of how much of an amazing and talented swimmer he was and one loss or even a thousand would never take that way. Jungkook felt himself tear up again at their supportive messages.

Namjoon, 'You'll always be our Golden Fin, Jungkook.'

Jin, 'That's a title no other champion can hold.'

Yoongi, 'You're cooler than me when you swim- only when you swim.'

Hoseok, 'If it wasn't for the water, I'd think you're flying!'

Jungkook could even feel how honest Taehyung's words were despite having just met him, 'Watching you swim has got to be one of the most inspiring things in the world.'  
A tear finally glided down his cheek when he saw Jimin's text, 'You have no idea how incredible you are. I aspire to swim like you one day."

Jungkook merely responded with, 'Thank you.' 

But it was more than enough as they all understood the weight behind his words.

The group continued to chat amongst themselves with an occasional flirt here and there from the usual pair. Their rowdy energy began to tone down eventually as the clock hands raced forward and their eyelids grew heavier. Members began to sign off until the only two online were Jungkook and Jimin, unknowingly staring at each other's profile pictures at the same time. Jungkook was in awe of how ethereal he looked. He absent-mindedly bit his bottom lip.

He couldn't stop himself from trying zooming on the picture of Jimin at some café, convincing himself that he only wanted to see if he was wearing lip-gloss or not. Then his thumb slipped. He felt his heart give out when the words CALLLING appeared, dropping like a body on a snapped bungee string. Jungkook tried to cancel but his fingers refused to move. After a few rings, Jimin picked up and Jungkook literally deflated at the sound of his melodic voice. It was like a mellow songbird, tweeting softly and sweetly, soothing him with every feathery syllable.

"Hi, Kookie."

Jimin had merely spoken two words and Jungkook already felt as though he was floating on a cloud blanketed by the heavens. He felt his chest rattle as he heaved a content sigh. 

It may have been just a phone call, but Jimin was so close to the screen that he thought he could feel Jungkook's breath on his cheek, whispering and kissing his skin with every particle.

"Hi, Mochi."

Jungkook felt himself soar through the clouds, carried by Jimin's light and airy giggles that seemed to drift into his ears. 

"Mochi?" Jimin muttered cutely in a questioning tone.

"Yeah, they remind me of you." He responded, remembering the ones he ate that evening.

"How do they remind you of me?" He asked playfully, unaware of the way his voice was like a kitten toying with Jungkook's heart like a ball of yarn.

"Your cheeks...they seem squishy and soft." Jungkook answered, blushing under the dark veil of night.

"Which ones?" Jimin asked teasingly.

Jungkook's blush deepened as his mouth flew open in shock. The angelic tune of Jimin's laughter played again, this time contrasting his mischievous behaviour. 

"Y-you're not as innocent as you look." Jungkook commented, cursing himself for stuttering. Jimin tried not to gasp as he heard his little stumble, slightly taking pride at the way he made someone, as cocky and as arrogant as Jungkook, nervous.

"And you're not as naughty as you try to be." Jimin continued, believing he was winning their little game yet again.

"I wouldn't speak so soon-" Jungkook remarked, deepening his voice and composing himself. "You haven't seen the worst of me, yet."

Jimin bit his lip in anticipation, "Oh, really?"

Jungkook gave a low chuckle that sent a shiver all the way from the phone to Jimin's insides. However, the blond wasn't finished.

"You do realise you're under my command, Jungkook?"

"What?" He asked, his tone clearly showing confusion.

"I won our little bet."

Jungkook silently swore, wondering why his dumbass even asked for a bet in the first place. "Of course."

"You'll be my servant for the rest of the week. Do not disappoint me, Jungkook." Jimin demanded, a clear smile in his voice.

"Yes, master." Jungkook replied, trying his best not to sound too ecstatic about it. He failed to find a downside to following Jimin around all day and giving him all his attention.

The two of them continued to talk the night away, losing track of time as they lost themselves in each other's voice. They spoke about anything that came to mind as though they had been friends for years, disrupting this friendly chatter and comfortable joking around with a random flirt to make the other blush. The conversation managed to come back to swimming as Jungkook thought about what Jimin had said to him in the group chat. 

"Jimin, what did you mean in the group chat?"

Jimin forcibly blinked the fatigue away and answered with a "Huh?"

"You said you aspire to swim like me one day. What did you mean by that?" Jungkook couldn't comprehend how the person he lost to wished he could swim like him.

"You swim with something I don't have, Jungkook." Jimin stated plainly.

Jungkook stifled a yawn, "What is it?"

Jimin closed his eyes, blocking out the light from the stars painted on his ceiling. "Passion." He breathed out.

Jungkook didn't know how to respond as his ears focused on the sound of Jimin's breaths. They were rhythmic and calm, like the way he swam. Yet, if he listened closely, he could hear the one intake that was quicker than the others: a small, almost unnoticeable weakness. Jungkook found himself wondering if Jimin was really as perfect as he seemed, and he knew that he had to know. He had to get to know him no matter what. 

Jungkook smiled at the way Jimin's breathing was now completely steady, he was at peace as he drifted from consciousness, away from his worries. He wanted to join Jimin in this faraway land, wishing him sweet dreams as he closed his eyes too.

"Goodnight, Mochi." Jungkook whispered dreamily, leaving his phone on to hear the comforting, tranquil sounds of Jimin sleeping. His heart swooned as he heard Jimin's lips move slightly to utter the name 'Kookie' under his breath.

Jungkook fell asleep and dreamed of a beautiful blond boy with the prettiest, glittery golden-brown eyes and the most vibrant crescent-eye smile. An angel that saved him from the harsh waters of the unforgiving ocean. He slept knowing that this wasn't the day he drowned.

It was the day he met Park Jimin.


	12. Wave 12

Jungkook’s doe eyes fluttered open, his eyelashes were as drenched as the rest of his body. The waves from the ocean beside him lapped against the shimmering sands; desperately trying to reach his motionless body but failing. His blurry vision focused to see a pair of glimmering, golden-brown orbs staring into his dark eyes. Jimin’s gorgeous face emanated a pure and angelic glow as he looked down at him. His eyebrows were cutely scrunched up in worry. Jungkook felt the air in his throat get caught as Jimin’s long, dark eyelashes closed, and he leaned in closer. His lovely, pink plump lips were slightly pursed in the most adorable manner. Jungkook knew better than to let Jimin know that he wasn’t performing CPR correctly and simply shut his eyes in anticipation.

Only for his eyes to open again and see nothing but darkness around him. He groaned in frustration and smacked his head into his luxuriously soft pillow. He gasped when he realised his phone was right next to his face and Jimin’s name was still on his phone with their call lasting for almost eight hours. Jungkook silently wished that Jimin hadn’t heard him and ended the call. He checked the time to see he had only slept for less than six hours. His thumb tapped his screen, cancelling his alarm as he was already awake and needed to get some extra practice in. Jungkook sighed, recalling how his father said he always trained every morning back when he was a teenager. Jungkook dragged his feet down to the icy floorboards; chills stabbing into his limbs that still tremored slightly. He forced himself to stand up, feeling a huge force push against him like a gust of wind blowing a frail, dying autumn leaf. His shaking hand gripped the cushioned headboard of his bed.

He just couldn’t stop swimming.

**************************

Jimin hummed cheerfully to himself as he opened his locker and took out his Korean Literature books. Taehyung was busy whining about not sharing a morning class with his best friend and chucking his history books into his Gucci bag. Jimin sighed, pausing what he was doing and childishly mirroring Tae’s pout. “Oh no, now you actually have to make new friends!” He gasped mockingly.

Tae stuck his tongue out at the blond before mumbling, “I’ve already made new friends.”

“Not the swim team.” Jimin stated sternly.

“Well, that’s not fair-”

“Life isn’t fair, sweetie,” Jimin remarked in a patronising manner, “now get to class.”

Taehyung huffed, “I don’t know where this stupid history class is.”

Jimin perked up at the sight of vibrant red hair passing down the halls. He waved over Hoseok who beamed at them like the literal sun. “Look, it’s our guide! Right on time-”

“Hi, guys! Is everything alright?” Hoseok asked with a joyful smile that somehow managed to warm both their hearts. Taehyung’s frustrated expression melted away as soon as he looked up at the chirpy redhead. Hoseok’s kind brown eyes fell on Taehyung, as though sensing that he was the one that needed help. The dark-haired boy watched him, dark eyes round with wonder.

“Taehyung doesn’t know how to get to his history class.” Jimin replied. He couldn’t help but notice that his best friend seemed a little off, somewhat awkward.

“You’re in luck, I was already heading towards the humanities block. Come along, TaeTae!” Hoseok sang cheerily as he swung an arm around Taehyung’s shoulders. The dark-haired boy couldn’t hold back a smile as he started to lead him away. “I’ll take good care of him, you better get to class too, Jiminie!” Hoseok sent Jimin another bright grin as the blond nodded and waved.

Jimin looked over at the locker next to his own and gave a disappointed sigh. He wondered why he hadn’t come across a certain doe-eyed brunet yet. Hopefully, he’d see him soon. He smiled to himself as he thought about how adorable Jungkook was on the phone last night. Jimin started to walk towards his class, thinking about whether they’d have late-night conversations more often now.

Jimin opened the door to the classroom, taking in the cool air-conditioning that rejuvenated his skin, the luminescent white desks and chairs and the light teal walls sent calming, tranquil waves through him. He subconsciously grinned at the sight of a familiar head of light-brown hair. Relief and excitement flooded into him as he noticed that the teacher hadn’t arrived yet. Jimin absentmindedly fiddled with the long sleeves of his baby blue sweater as he walked over to Jungkook with his hands held behind his back. The closer he got the more worried he grew as he realised how Jungkook’s head was nodding slightly like an unstable bobblehead.

Jimin’s hand was there in a heartbeat as Jungkook’s head fell forward with alarming speed. Jimin exhaled at the feel of his forehead gently landing into his soft palm. He tried not to coo out loud at how adorable he was being. The poor baby was still asleep in his hand. Jimin delicately moved his palm to rest on Jungkook’s cheek and turn his face slightly towards him as he called his name softly. “Jungkook.”

The brunet didn’t make sound.

“Jungkookie~”

Jungkook merely breathed softly, nestling into his palm.

“Kookie~” Jimin sang sweetly.

His heartbeat fumbled its usual steady pace as Jungkook incoherently mumbled into his hand, his soft lips passing over his skin and leaving a sensation he simply couldn’t comprehend. Jungkook’s doe eyes finally stared back at him after blinking in an impossibly cute manner. He brought his hand up to land upon Jimin’s smaller one, making the blond freeze, wondering why his hand wasn’t being moved away. He felt himself swoon at the way his dark brown orbs gazed at him with slight confusion.

“Y-you fell asleep and -uh you nearly hit your head.” Jimin spoke nervously, silently berating himself for his slight stammer.

Jungkook simply smiled up at him with a certain fondness that Jimin couldn’t decipher. “Thank you.” He said quietly, knowing exactly what Jimin had done. His hand smoothed over the blond’s skin, every fingertip caressing his knuckles as he let go as gradually as possible.

Jimin nodded, his cheeks flaming as he sat down in the desk next to him without another word.

**************************

Jungkook’s cheek still burned at the feeling of Jimin’s hand on his skin. He found himself wishing he could feel his touch forever as his daydreaming turned into actual dreams. His head snapped back up again as he recalled the fact that he was still in class. His ears perked at the sound of soft giggling next to him. Jungkook turned to see Jimin covering his mouth with one hand, amused at how silly he looked. He watched the way his small, slender fingers pressed against his smiling lips and his mind began to wander again as he thought about what it would be like to be pushed against those very lips. His eyes trailed down, slowly and steadily like beads of sweat rolling down heated bodies in a hot embrace. Not only did he want to cuddle Jimin delicately like the over-sized baby blue sweater he wore, he also wanted to cling to him like the way his white jeans hugged his wonderful thighs that were crossed on top of the other. Jimin had already caught on to his hungry gaze and smirked. He spared Jungkook a glance before turning away, making the brunet wonder if the overwhelming feeling of desire he had for Jimin was mutual. The blond tapped his foot impatiently as he stared at the window. He didn’t think he’d want to look back at Jungkook so quickly.

The teacher pushed her large-rimmed glasses up her nose and narrowed her feline-like eyes at the pair. She crossed her arms that seemed to puff up as her thick, fluffy black cardigan enveloped her tall and stout figure. Her sharp and seemingly tough voice resounded in the classroom, “Jungkook, considering how you’ve finally graced us with your consciousness, why don’t you tell us about Hyangga?”

Jungkook stopped himself from asking who that was. He resorted to simply apologising. “Sorry, Mrs Yi.”

She gave him a disappointed look. Mrs Yi spoke to the rest of the class, shifting her attention to all her students. “The Hyangga poetry of the Shilla period showed the start of a unique poetic form of Korean Literature that was distinct from Chinese contemporary songs-”

Jungkook had already zoned out, convinced that anything but swimming, especially the arts, wasn’t important enough for him to listen to. His father’s words rang in his pounding head. He just needed to pass- not excel.

His eyelids became lead, starting to close again until he heard a different voice. A voice that was sweet and smooth as honey, as light and feathery as clouds.

“Yes, Mrs Yi?”, Jimin said politely.

“This poem is called 'Ode to Knight Chukchi' written by Tugo c. 692-702 CE, who praises his master. Do you mind reading it out loud for the class?” She asked, her tone softening slightly.

Jimin proceeded to read the poem in his book of ancient poetry. Jungkook could’ve sworn that he had been abducted by Jimin’s voice and transported to another planet. There was something so ethereal and perfect about the way his words danced through his ears like a band of sparkling, little fairies fluttering peacefully around him. His voice filled the room; a flood of soft and beautifully scented rose petals cascading into the classroom. Jungkook thought he noticed the grey formless clouds outside the window become a dreamy, wistful white as Jimin spoke. He seemed to be making the sky brighten and emanate an otherworldly glow like he was calling on the power of his fellow angels in the heavens.

“All living beings sorrow and lament

Over the spring that is past;

Your face once fair and bright

Is about to wear deep furrows.

I must glimpse you

Even for an awesome moment.

My fervent mind cannot rest at night

In the mugwort-rank hollow.”

It was impossible for Jungkook to fall asleep now.

“Thank you for reading, Jimin. Would you like to share your opinion on the poem?” Mrs Yi questioned with genuine curiosity for the way her students thought.

Jimin pursed his lips in thought, unknowingly making Jungkook blush. The brunet remembered the dream he had that morning and his blush darkened as the thought of kissing him protruding into his mind.

“I think he’s in love with his master.” Jimin stated bluntly.

Mrs Yi nearly choked on her coffee. A couple giggles and chuckles were heard as the class reacted to Jimin’s bold statement and the teacher’s surprised response. “And why’s that?” she asked, confusion apparent in her voice.

“In my opinion, the attraction is pretty obvious, ‘fair and bright’ in other words could mean he thinks his master is beautiful or simply emanating life like the season of ‘spring’. It may be about his master dying and the ‘sorrow and lament’ he feels from this,” Jimin’s eyes met Jungkook’s stare, “he literally can’t sleep at night because he wants to see his master…”

Jungkook felt as though Jimin was directly speaking to him as he gave him a teasing smirk before continuing. “He wants to see them before they eventually pass away like spring itself. It’s a sad poem, but I think it’s also a love poem nonetheless.”

Mrs Yi nodded, her pen scratching with intense speed into her own book of ancient poetry, noting down things she hadn’t seen before. Her head shot up, jet-black ponytail flying as she surprised everyone by sending a small, proud smile towards Jimin. “Thank you for your insight, Jimin.”

*************************

The cacophonous sounds of students shuffling about, bags and zippers opening and closing commenced as soon as the bell was heard. Mrs Yi yelled something about remembering to add to their annotations for next lesson whilst people were already speed walking out the door for lunch. Jimin squatted down to Jungkook’s level who was still sitting at his desk. His gaze grew worried as he took note of the way Jungkook’s head rested atop the table, but he wasn’t asleep. The brunet stared at him, doe eyes dimming with pain as he felt as though his head was ready to collapse into itself like faulty scaffolding. Jimin reached forward and felt Jungkook’s forehead searing upon his touch. “Kookie, you’re heating up…” he murmured, almost to himself.

Mrs Yi raised an eyebrow at them, contemplating whether she should check on Jungkook. After taking in the very heart-warming scene of Jimin taking it upon himself to check on him, she decided to take her lunch and leave them to it.

Jimin absentmindedly began to caress the light brown strands of Jungkook’s hair. “What kept you up at night?” He asked, not really expecting an answer.

Jungkook breathed out, “You.”

Jimin’s hand stopped moving momentarily before continuing again. The drumming of his heart resounded with the crashing of cymbals. He made himself comfortable on top of his desk as Jungkook tried with all his might to not stare at his thighs for too long. “You were dreaming about me?”

The brunet raised his head up to look at him, his posture still slouched as he bluntly replied with a “Yes.”

Jimin held back a squeal as he leaned forward. “What kind of dream?” he whispered; his tone delicate but with a seductive edge.

Jungkook smirked, trying to suppress the chills that ran through him from the way his voice lowered. “A wet one.” His words were deep and subtle, but they hit Jimin like a bulldozer, destroying him. He failed to think of a comeback, finally losing their little game as he opened and closed his mouth like a shocked fish. Jungkook grinned, aware that he had won. “We were swimming in the ocean.” He stated matter-of-factly before picking up his bag and got up.

Jimin was still flabbergasted and getting a full view of Jungkook’s figure-hugging black turtleneck, tucked into his tight, black leather jeans wasn’t helping his state. He longed to get a hold of the muscles that were hidden under his blue swim team jacket and be encased in his strong arms. Jungkook held his hips, puffing his chest slightly and taking pride in the way Jimin couldn’t help but drink in his whole image. He smiled as though he hadn’t just been passed out for most of the lesson and currently dealing with a severe headache. The blond was almost taken in by his adorably cute, bunny-like smile until he noticed the way he swayed lightly whilst standing and the light from his doe eyes seemed faint.

Jimin stood up and went to his side only for Jungkook to take his bag and swing it around his shoulder.

“I can carry it by myself.” Jimin protested, trying to take back his bag. Jungkook tightened his grip and shook his head.

“I haven’t been the best servant so far.” He said jokingly as he started to walk out of the classroom.

Jimin followed after him, “I didn’t order you to-”

They fell into step with one another, heading to their lockers. “You don’t have to.” Jungkook stubbornly interrupted him.

Jimin merely sighed as he opened his locker and watched Jungkook sort out his books for him. “What lesson do you have after lunch?” the brunet asked as he placed his own books into the locker next to Jimin’s.

“Biology.” Stated the blond.

Jungkook pouted slightly, “That’s a bummer,” he placed Jimin’s biology books into his bag before taking out his own physics books, “I would’ve liked to see you in another class.”

Jimin smiled sweetly at him, “Hopefully, we’ve got another class together, but I guess I’ll just look forward to Korean Lit for now.”

Jungkook grinned at him, silently saying the words “me too” with his warm doe eyes.

**************************

Jungkook impatiently tapped his fingers against the bright blue, lunch table and let out a sigh. “Jimin, could you eat a bit quicker?” he asked, whining slightly.

Jimin paused with his chopsticks in the air and turned to stare at him whilst playfully taking his time to eat his food at an agonisingly slow pace. Hoseok and Taehyung snickered at the pair opposite them as they continued to eat and chatter idly. It was seamless how the two of them were already talking to each other with such ease, you wouldn’t believe that they had just met yesterday.

The four of them lifted their heads up at the approaching couple who came to sit with them. Jin huffed as he slammed his tray on the table, already in a mood as Namjoon tried his best to avoid eye contact with his boyfriend.

“Sorry we’re late guys,” Seokjin glared at Namjoon, “Mr IQ of 148 over here just had to break another conical flask.”

“I didn’t break it! It just slipped out of my fingers…”

“I told you not to touch it!” Jin argued, his pitch rising.

“How can I do an experiment without touching anything?” his boyfriend retorted sarcastically.

Jimin and Taehyung were a bit thrown off at how closely they resembled an old married couple with all their petty bickering. They shared a glance, wordlessly exchanging their thoughts as they tried to hold back a giggle. Jungkook and Hoseok were more than used to it by now as they both rolled their eyes at their pointless arguing.

Jungkook resorted to poking Jimin’s arm repeatedly to get him to hurry up. They continued like this for a while until the blond finally had enough and grabbed his finger. He looked him dead in the eye, his tone deep as he asked pointedly “What’s your problem?”

The brunet gulped at how sexy his voice sounded but also tried to hold himself back from saying “Aw” at how adorable Jimin’s little hand looked wrapped his finger.

“You’re taking too long; we need to race.” Jungkook answered in a straightforward manner, hiding the way his heart soared at the feeling of Jimin’s touch.

He tried not frown when the blond let go of his finger. Jimin put down his chopsticks, placed his hands on his lap and uttered the words, “Feed me, then.” He raised an eyebrow at Jungkook, his voice was teasing as though he was daring him to do it. The rest of the table watched in both surprise and amusement as Jungkook stared at him in shock like he was wondering whether he really said what he heard.

He regained his composure and replied with, “As you wish, master.” His words were slow and sultry like sweet, cool ice-cream melting under the hot summer sun and dripping down the cone. Jungkook picked up Jimin’s chopsticks and raised a piece of chicken slathered in sauce. The blond blinked before his mouth became slightly agape. Watching the way his lips parted made Jungkook think of his dream again as a light blush dusted across his cheeks. Those pretty, plump lips closed around the chopsticks, making Jungkook feel all kinds of uncomfortable yet drawn to the way his mouth moved.

Hoseok choked on his sprite, Taehyung’s food dropped back on to his plate as he proceeded to eat air, Jin gasped despite his cheeks being stuffed with rice and Namjoon bit his tongue instead of his chicken and yelped. The redhead banged his chest as his spluttered coughing became normal breathing again.

“Since when were you his genie?” Hoseok questioned curiously eyeing the two of them with a suspicious stare.

“Since I lost our little bet.” The brunet responded matter-of-factly.

Jungkook continued to feed Jimin with such care and tenderness, he had even forgotten about the rush they were supposed to be in.

Namjoon turned to his boyfriend before demanding, “Feed me.”

Jin gave him a very unimpressed side-eye, like a judgemental chipmunk, before going back to stuffing his face. The rest of the table laughed at the way Seokjin ignored him. The team leader huffed before glancing at the empty seat next to Hoseok.

“Is Yoongi practicing again?” He asked.

Hoseok nodded, “He probably is-”, he checked his phone and gasped, “Oh no, I’m late!” he exclaimed suddenly before frantically waving goodbye and racing out of the canteen. The rest of the table waved back, whilst Jimin and Taehyung were slightly confused as to what Namjoon and Hoseok meant.

“Swim practice?” Jimin queried, his hand landing lightly upon Jungkook’s wrist to stop him from feeding him.

“No, he’s most likely doing music right now.” Namjoon replied casually.

The blond’s golden-brown eyes grew wide, the team leader wondered why he seemed so surprised. Jungkook watched the way Jimin gave an unconvincing nod, unaware of how foreign it was to him for a swimmer to be allowed to have another hobby.

Jimin thought back to his old swim team, if you didn’t completely dedicate yourself to the sport you’d be kicked out without hesitation. He looked up at Namjoon, comparing him to his strict and uncaring former captain. He found himself appreciating the way his dimples deepened in a genuinely friendly smile and his chocolate eyes melted with sincere compassion. Jimin let out a small, almost unnoticeable sigh of relief, grateful for a far more understanding team leader.

“Are you full, yet?” Jungkook asked, willing to stay longer if he wasn’t but still itching to leave the canteen.

Jimin looked down at Jungkook’s plate and shook his head disapprovingly, “You’ve barely finished your food.” he picked up the brunet’s chopsticks and wordlessly began to feed him. Jungkook knew there wasn’t any point in protesting as he simply ate what was given to him. Seokjin would tell him off for talking with his mouth full anyway.

The brunet finally swallowed his food and managed to say the words, “I’m fine-”

Jimin shook his head again and continued to feed him, “The state you were in this morning makes me believe otherwise. If anyone needs to eat, it’s you.” He responded stubbornly.

Seokjin watched the pair and smiled, “Jimin, you’re coming for my job as Jungkook’s mother and honestly I’m glad,” he gave an exasperated sigh, “that big baby can be such a handful.”

Everyone but Jungkook laughed, the brunet gave an annoyed expression. Jimin thought he looked incredibly cute; his cheeks puffed up with food and his nose all scrunched up like an adorable little bunny.

Whilst chattering amongst themselves and eating their lunch, the pair had eventually cleared most of their plates and Jungkook took no time grabbing Jimin’s hand, saying their rushed goodbyes and dragging him out of the canteen.

Taehyung sipped on his juice box and stared at the couple opposite him expectantly. As soon as Jin started with the words, “Let me tell you what happened in chemistry”, Tae already knew he was about to become an unpaid and inexperienced marriage counsellor.


	13. Wave 13

Hoseok swung open the door to the music room as though he was intruding on a world that only he was allowed to see- Yoongi’s world.

The blinds hadn’t been drawn, yet strings of light still tried to burst through the dark shadows that were cast upon the room. Every other instrument seemed to be abandoned within the covert, grey and hidden atmosphere of concealed talent. However, there was a piano that stood in the centre of the room, its strong black legs rooted into the brown, dust-ridden floorboards; standing with immense power and colossal grandeur despite the dying floor that it stood upon. Its sleek, pitch-black surface glistened with love and care but still held a somewhat daunting glow as though daring someone to play it, daring someone to fail it. Nevertheless, a dark-haired boy sat in front of it, confronting the beautiful beast head-on. His nimble, fingers flew across the piano, pushing into the keys with a certain gentleness that stunningly contrasted the astoundingly intense flurry of notes that exploded from the instrument. They were so powerful that it was a wonder how the wood could withstand such an unearthly force. Then there would be a moment of surreal tranquillity and peace. His hands slowing down and embracing the keys, stroking the medley of black of white with so much care, you’d think it was his mother’s hair. Notes that once were the raging, burning wings of a phoenix metamorphosed and began gliding into one another; coalescing into the vibrantly bright wings of butterflies that fluttered away from the world. Butterflies that he couldn’t keep.

Yoongi’s hands froze, wavering with slight difficulty as though struggling to remove his fingers from those black and white lines that were battered and bruised with emotions time and time again. He rested his hands in his lap before giving Hoseok an impassive glance.

“You’re late.” He stated bluntly, his voice slightly hoarse as though he had just been screaming through the piano.

Hoseok’s breathing had calmed down from all that running only for his heartbeat to pick up again when Yoongi looked up at him through his dark, midnight eyes. Faint rays of sunlight swam through the deep, dark waves of his hair, each strand glittering with a sort of mysterious sparkle. Hoseok gripped the doorway, using his initial exhaustion from rushing to mask the barrage of emotions he felt under Yoongi’s gaze. A bombardment of sensations overwhelmed him, banging on the door in his chest and invading his heart.

The redhead eventually composed himself after a few moments before pattering over to Yoongi’s side.

“I’m sorry, I lost track of time.” Hoseok apologised softly, sitting close to him on the piano stool and leaning on his shoulder.

“It’s the first time you’ve been late.” Yoongi mentioned pointedly.

Hoseok whined cutely in an attempt to get back on his good side, “Yoongi~ don’t be mad at me!”

Yoongi sighed, leaning his head against Hoseok’s and muttering, “How can I be mad at you?”

Hoseok smiled as they sat together in content silence. He looked up to see Yoongi’s eyes close, his soft and dainty features accentuated his vulnerable aura. Hoseok found himself appreciating how Yoongi could be so defenceless with him. His cute, little nose slightly poked into his red hair, his adorable lips puckered slightly, and his eyebrows furrowed like he was in constant thought. Hoseok noticed the way his long, dark lashes twitched from time to time. He felt the need to get rid of any discomfort the dark-haired boy felt. He swung a leg around the stool, turning his body to face Yoongi before enveloping him in his arms like he was a music box hiding away its precious, porcelain doll.

The dark-haired boy visibly relaxed in his hold, drifting into his embrace by nuzzling into Hoseok’s warm, cream-coloured jumper. Yoongi kept his eyes closed, wanting to stay in Hoseok’s world rather than the reality that encased him. He listened closely to the lullaby of the redhead’s soft, drumming heartbeat through the cloud-like material of his jumper, shivering from the warmth of their knees pressing together. A small smile played on his lips as Hoseok began to hum lightly; melodious vibrations streamed through his chest, passing into Yoongi like the calming ripples of a tranquil lake. Hoseok proceeded to stroke his midnight-hair gently like he was trying to calm the rampant waters within him.

Once they were done stopping time, the redhead passed a rebellious finger over Yoongi’s cheek, crossing boundaries with a light, almost unnoticeable touch. Yet, Yoongi noticed it; his skin pricked with want, silently begging him to do it again.

Hoseok let out a dramatic gasp, “Yoongi, look how pale you’ve gotten! Do you ever open the windows?”

The dark-haired boy sighed, trying to hide his disappointment as Hoseok released him and went over to the blinds. A sudden burst of light escaped into the room, racing towards him and casting an otherworldly glow upon Hoseok. Yoongi watched in awe at the way the sun emerged from the grey clouds, welcoming its fellow star with golden rays that seemed to dance around Hoseok with spirals of joy. His grin beamed like a beacon, lighting up the dust particles and making them look like speckles of twinkling stardust. His kind, warm brown eyes held all the love in the world when they rested on Yoongi, embracing him in a blanket of care and affection. Hoseok’s handsome features radiated so vibrantly to the point that Yoongi felt blinded by how astonishing he looked. At that moment he could’ve sworn that his vividly crimson hair were the passionate flames of the sun itself, simply bursting with hope.

Hoseok walked back over to him and stood by the piano, looking expectantly at the sheet music. Yoongi gave him a cute, gumdrop smile that momentarily made Hoseok forget he was standing on the physical ground.

“Be my page-turner, please.” His deep voice resounded, still holding the warm of a loving hearth.

Hoseok gave a cheesy grin, “Always.”

*************************

Jungkook’s light-brown hair arose from the water as he reached the end of the swimming pool. He looked up only to see a pair of legs submerged in the water. He cursed silently. Had Jimin really finished the race so quickly that he was already sitting on the ledge? Jungkook’s eyes traced over the water droplets that glided across Jimin’s toned thighs, running across his smooth skin like it was a playground and calling for him to join in on their game. His eyes began to trail up, greedily taking in how tight his abs were; they seemed to shimmer from the water that soaked his body. The sparkling beads of water danced across his skin, glimmering all over him like fairy dust. Jungkook continued to watch in wonder, no longer minding the view of being below his rival. He wasn’t clueless though; he was aware of how he was practically nestling into Jimin’s trap. The blond leaned back, resting his palms on the floor behind him like he intended to let the brunet’s eyes ravish more of the meal in front of him. Jungkook felt the world around them pause, his heart pulling a merry-go-round to a screeching halt as he subconsciously moved closer. Then Jimin ran a hand through his wet hair, giving him a full view of his flawless face and giving Jungkook a killer smile. He abruptly felt the merry-go-round spinning with uncontrollable speed.

Jimin finally decided to stop playing with the poor boy, he was also becoming very conscious of how the brunet was pretty much between his knees. “It’s almost the end of lunch. We should get going-”

Jungkook latched on to his knees before he could move out of the pool. He looked up at him with a hint of desperation in his doe eyes. “One more race.” He demanded somewhat pleadingly.

“We’ve already raced a lot-” Jimin tried to reason with him only to get cut off.

“Please!”

The blond was hit with that exact same guilt again as he noticed the amount of despair swimming in Jungkook’s soft, brown orbs. Yet, he also noticed the way his hands slightly trembled against his knees. Jimin knew there was no hope of escaping those captivatingly heart-breaking eyes. He placed his palms on top of Jungkook’s withering hands, the brunet's cold skin sent a warmth through him that he didn’t think he had. Then he nodded. Jungkook sent him a grateful yet drained smile, making Jimin’s heartbeat rush but his chest clench with fear.

The two of them stood at the edge of the pool and began to curve their backs and bend their legs into position. Jungkook felt everything within him soar upwards as he himself bent down. It felt like a grenade being thrown into the air and ready to burst into an explosion upon impact with the ground below. He slipped, losing grip of the ledge and his consciousness. Jungkook tried with all his might to chase after his mind and pull it back into reality only for it drift into the abyss again and again. The lights behind his eyeballs were constantly turning on and off as though it was checking if he was there or not. But he wasn’t. A tsunami of pain, agony and extreme fatigue crashed into him, violently breaking every bone of his spirit with each ruthless torrent. There was the falling sensation of air whistling by his ears, masking the distant scream of his name. Then the last thing his senses felt before fading away was the icy splash of the beast’s stomach, drowning him in its watery acid and melting away his flesh.

Jimin had gotten him out of the pool so quickly he didn’t even think he was physically capable of moving at such a speed. He laid him ever so gently on the cold floor and positioned his head above his chest to see if it was rising and falling. Jimin heaved a great sigh at the movement he saw, he wasn’t in the water long enough to get too much water in lungs. Jimin gazed at the way his eyelashes glittered with tiny water droplets like the stars of the galaxy rested on those very eyelids. His skin was pale, and his bow-shaped lips were no longer vibrant and lively. It seemed as though death had briefly kissed those same pink petals of a flower that once bloomed in spring. 

Jimin’s eyes pricked and stung with tears that eventually streamed down his face. His impossibly huge heart filled with an overwhelming amount of guilt that he didn’t know how to deal with. He immediately convinced himself that it was all his fault. He should’ve simply told Jungkook “no”. Jimin cursed his incessant need to please and make others happy. He pressed his forehead against Jungkook’s beating heart, feeling a whirlwind of relief every-time it pounded. Murmurs of profuse apologies through strangled sounds of crying echoed against the boy’s rising chest.

Jungkook felt a pale light struggling to reach him through his eyelids. Then his ears picked up the sound of muffled sobbing, he suddenly felt warm tears steaming against his cold skin and forced his eyes open. After pulling and yanking at the gates of his eyes for a couple agonising moments he was able to squint. He was able to catch a golden head of hair when he looked down towards the pained yet quiet weeping. Jungkook failed to find the strength to speak. Instead, he slowly raised a shaking hand and caressed Jimin’s locks. He heard a gasp against his chest and Jimin raised his head to look at him. He stared deep into his half-closed eyes; his warm, golden-brown eyes were filled to brim with tears. Jungkook felt his core quiver with immense guilt towards Jimin and immeasurable anger towards himself. He moved his hand from his blond hair to his soft, tear-stained cheek and thumbed over his skin delicately, apologising sincerely through his gentle touch before using his words.

“I’m sorry, Jimin.” He croaked out, his voice breaking under the weight of Jimin’s sorrowful gaze.

The blond shook his head defiantly, “I should be the one apologising, I shouldn’t have agreed to another race. I’ve been aware of your state this whole time and-” Jimin’s voice wavered with emotion, his lips trembling slightly as he looked away from Jungkook.

The brunet turned his face back to him with his hand still on his cheek. He gave him a serious look, “Listen, you’re not responsible for my actions.”

Jimin simply couldn’t keep eye contact with him as he lowered his head and nodded eventually. He stood up suddenly and muttered something about a nurse’s office and not knowing where it is.

Jungkook groaned as he forced himself to sit up. Jimin worriedly crouched back down to him when he saw him struggle slightly. Jungkook felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at the pool in front of him. Then it dawned on him. It happened again. Thoughts began to race around his mind as his breathing grew more and more frantic, each breath short, jagged and terrified as his mind drew the worst conclusions. Was he afraid of what he was supposed to love the most? Would he drown again? If he did…would he make it out in time?

Jimin held on to his shoulders, calling his name but it was soundless to his ears until he held him by the face and made him look at him. Jungkook even seemed shocked to see Jimin’s eyes staring into him. Jimin’s palms burned against his skin, melting the ice-cold fears that chilled his insides. His thoughts came back to who they usually stray towards- Park Jimin. A grateful smile reached his lips as the blond seemed to exude comfort with every fibre of his being. He hadn’t drowned. He pressed his forehead against the blond’s and sighed. Jimin had saved him.

“Thank you.” Jungkook whispered.

Jimin stuttered, beginning to feel himself shatter at their close proximity, “Y-you n-need to see the nurse.”

“That’s not what I need right now, Jimin.”

Jimin got off his knees and sat down with him, “What do you need, Jungkook?” he questioned softly.

Jungkook made space for Jimin to sit between his legs and the blond moved to sit in front of him accordingly. Then he wordlessly circled his arms around Jimin who immediately encased him into an embrace. Their chins rested on each other’s shoulder, holding a friendly air, but they couldn’t help but blush as they felt their skin sticking to each other as though water was their adhesive.

*************************

Jimin gazed down at the way Jungkook’s skin began to lose its deathly pale aura and gain an iridescent, lively glow. His lips began to emanate a lustrous pinkish tint, resembling the unfurling petals of carnation in bloom. The long, dark drapes of his eyes were closed in peaceful slumber. Jimin’s gaze grew even more fond as he noticed how Jungkook weirdly slept with his legs crossed under the pristine, white duvet. He seemed to just exude innocence and purity as his head sank into the white pillow like Peter Pan getting lost in the clouds and flying off to Neverland.

The blond sat by Jungkook’s side as though monitoring him whilst also appreciating how delicate and flawless he was. Then he was brought back to reality by the abrupt sound of a dreary, monotonous voice.

“You better get to class, kid.” The nurse yawned, scratching the back of his neck.

Jimin continued to stare at Jungkook’s sleeping face. “He’ll be ok, right?”

“No, he’s practically on his death bed.”

The blond sent an annoyed glance towards the nurse who simply rolled his eyes. “Of course, he’ll be fine. He’s just exhausted and needs some sleep.” The nurse stated in the same tone but somehow managing to fill the student with a sense of comfort through the soft deepness of his voice.

Jimin nodded, giving him a small smile as he thanked him before getting up. He walked over to the doorway, sparing one last look towards Jungkook before heading to class.

*************************

Jungkook dreamt of nothingness. It was like his brain was too tired to even conjure up a nonsensical dream let alone finish off what it had started that morning. Sleeping truly felt like a really long blink but as he opened his eyes he looked around in shock and confusion. The harsh and overpowering smell of disinfectant immediately sprinted into his nose, the mild, amber rays of the sun haphazardly flitted into the white room and everything blinded him momentarily as he blinked away the brief pain. His head buckled under the weight of the headache that inhabited it; like a noisy, upstairs neighbour pounding into the floor. Jungkook took note of the multiple beds around him and the many drawers, compartments and sterilised medical equipment on the other side of the room. He found it weird that this seemed to be the only room in the school that he’s seen without the colour blue in sight; he felt sick to his stomach when he realised it slightly comforted him.

“Go back to sleep.” Ordered a voice that seemed drained yet full of conviction.

Jungkook’s eyes darted over to the figure who sat by a desk filling syringes with gloved hands. His eyes widened at the sight of how long the needles were.

“Are those for me?” Jungkook choked out worriedly.

The man chuckled deeply, “They will be if you don’t go back to sleep.”

He spun his chair around towards the boy and jokingly pointed a syringe at him, receiving a sceptical but slightly anxious look from him. Jungkook looked at the man’s stubble on his slim yet strong jawline that seemed to compliment the dark circles under his tired yet sharp eyes. He stood up, showcasing his tall and lean figure that was hidden under a long, white coat with his name tag which indicated that he was the school nurse.

Jungkook narrowed his eyes at him, “You’re a nurse?”

“The hell were you expecting?” he retorted sarcastically.

Jungkook paused before opening his mouth again only for a thermometer to be placed on to his tongue. He still tried to speak with it in his mouth, but he was silently scolded by the nurse’s strict glare. He decided to keep his mouth shut. Jungkook squinted at his name tag: ‘Nurse Oh’.

The nurse checked his temperature, “You’ve got a bit of a fever. Make sure you get some rest when you get home.” He stated calmly.

Jungkook watched Nurse Oh head back to his desk, he looked at his computer before punching in numbers on the telephone. Jungkook felt his insides sink rapidly in panic.

“What are you doing?” the brunet asked, his voice wavering with fear.

“Calling your parents to let them know-”

“Stop! Please don’t-” Jungkook yelled frantically.

Nurse Oh froze, his finger hovering over the keypad. He turned to the boy with a confused expression. He sighed as he noticed the kid sitting up and staring at the telephone in alarm.

“Why shouldn’t I call them, Jungkook?” Nurse Oh asked sternly, his voice still holding sympathy.

Jungkook looked down at his quivering hands, his body beginning to shudder at the thought of how his father would react. Nurse Oh watched the way the boy trembled and placed the phone down before heading over to him. The boy’s chest began to rise and fall erratically until he felt a warm, comforting hand on his shoulder, anchoring him to the present.

He breathed deeply for a few moments, calming himself down enough to say the words, “They can’t know.”

Nurse Oh sighed again and started pacing around in thought. He took a hairband from his pocket and tied his long, black hair back into a messy ponytail as though it helped him think. He looked at his computer again before sparing a glance at the poor boy and finally came to a decision.

“Whether you want to tell them or not, I’ll leave that up to you.” Nurse Oh spoke graciously.

Jungkook’s tear-filled eyes that once held desperation and fear were now radiating gratitude and appreciation. He suddenly felt another wave of fatigue and exhaustion, falling back into the bed.

“Thanks, Nurse Oh.” He whispered into the soft, freshly washed pillow before falling asleep yet again.

Nurse Oh cast a pitying glance towards the kid; a lone candle intent on burning itself out and snuffing out its own flame only to shine just for those few moments.


	14. Wave 14

Jimin opened the door to the nurse’s office and immediately asked, “How’s he doing?”

Nurse Oh had been sleeping in his chair and woke up abruptly whilst still managing to not look the slightest bit startled. He squinted at the blond as though he was adjusting to the light he seemed to bring into the room.

“He woke up with a fever and fell asleep again.” Nurse Oh replied with a yawn.

Jimin sat by Jungkook’s side again and lightly felt his forehead with the back of his hand. His skin was less clammy, and his temperature seemed to be going down a little.

“You trying to take my job, kid?” Nurse Oh joked yet his tone sounded as dead as ever. He walked over to the pair and stood at a slight distance as though a part of him was aware of how the two had a personal bubble that he wasn’t comfortable intruding. There was something about the way Jimin felt the boy’s skin with such gentleness and care that made him think there was more to it than simply being friendly. “His fever should be getting a bit better though.” Nurse Oh reassured.

Jimin nodded at the nurse and smiled slightly. His hand absentmindedly wandered to Jungkook’s cheek and he felt his heart stop at the feeling of Jungkook’s fingers clasping his. He held back a gasp when the brunet blinked opened his pretty doe eyes. Jungkook resembled a deer caught in headlights when he realised, he was holding Jimin’s hand to his cheek and immediately let go.

Nurse Oh was already back at his desk smirking, decidedly allowing them to have their little moment. Jimin and Jungkook’s cheeks flushed pink simultaneously as they avoided eye contact with each other for a few moments until they couldn’t bear it anymore. Their eyes met yet again as they smiled knowingly at one another.

“Are you feeling any better?” Jimin asked warmly.

Jungkook nodded, feeling a certain shyness come over him as he seemed to forget how to speak.

“I’m glad.” A weight seemed to be lifted off his chest as he sighed with relief. “You’re probably wondering how you got here.” Jimin waited for Jungkook to nod again which he did; the blond seemed unaware of how he was causing the boy’s speechlessness. “I had to haul your ass all the way to changing rooms then call the team to help change and carry you over to the nurse’s office.”

Jungkook looked away in embarrassment, his cheeks reddening even more as he thought about how much hassle he caused. “Thank you.” He whispered timidly.

“No worries. We all wanted to help.” Jimin stated bluntly but with a kind smile.

The blond’s expression grew slightly anxious as a thought crossed his mind. He remembered that he had to let Jungkook know what Coach Choi said. Jungkook gave him a puzzled look as he noticed the way Jimin’s golden-brown eyes flitted away from him.

“Coach Choi told me to let you know that…you’re banned from the pool unless its official afterschool practice-”

Jungkook sat up, his face contorted into shock and anger. “What? No! I-”

Jimin flinched at the way he raised his voice but interrupted him, nonetheless. “You’ll have to be supervised by coach himself and you’ll be given a set amount of time to swim and have breaks in between.”

“Jimin, I can’t-”

He dismissed Jungkook’s desperate tone and pleading eyes with a heavy heart and continued. “His decision is final, Jungkook, and honestly it’s for the best.”

Jungkook fell back into the pillow in defeat and simply stared up at the plain white ceiling. He could hear Jimin trying to argue as to why this was the best thing for him, but he couldn’t believe him, not when all he could think of was how much of a failure he was. He went from a swimming champion to a liability that no one believed in, he needed to be babysat because they were all afraid. They were all afraid that he would drown again- fail again.

“Hey, Jungkook!” Jimin yelled, startling both Jungkook and Nurse Oh who had woken up again.

Jungkook finally looked at the blond sitting by him, noticing his annoyed yet worried expression. “You are and always will be an extraordinary swimmer. You didn’t drown because you can’t swim, you drowned because you can’t stop swimming. We’re looking out for you until you can learn to look after yourself. You’re not some burden that we have to carry because we’re afraid you’ll drown again. Because we trust you as a swimmer,” Jimin gently held on to Jungkook’s shoulder and his passionately loud tone softened along with the way his brown eyes melted, “but not as a competitor.”

Jungkook could only blink with his mouth slightly agape in shock. It was as though Jimin had heard his thoughts and sought out to destroy every single one of his doubts with so much kindness and sincerity. Jungkook wondered how a human being could have such an immense amount of goodness in them. His halo of golden hair seemed to emit such blinding rays of purity that Jungkook felt too privileged to witness.

He found that he could only utter the words, “Thank you, Jimin.”

Jimin tenderly gave his shoulder a slight rub before letting go and giving him a radiant eye smile. Jungkook couldn’t help but smile back at him.

Nurse Oh opened one eye and once he was satisfied that they had finished being all emotional he decided to speak. “You should go home and rest, Jungkook. This isn’t a hotel.” He added sarcastically before proceeding to ironically fall asleep in that same chair.

Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows as he asked Jimin what the time was.

“It’s about 5 right now.”

Jungkook groaned as he realised, he was missing practice.

Jimin seemed to still be in his head as he continued with, “Coach Choi said you’re not allowed to join the team in practice today.”

Jungkook glared at Coach Choi’s messenger only for Jimin to roll his eyes at him sassily.

“Listen to the nurse, you need to go home.”

“I can’t.” the brunet deadpanned.

Jimin sighed at the boy’s stubbornness, “Why not?”

Jungkook took a deep breath and chose to tell the truth, “My parents can’t know that I skipped practice.”

Jimin stared at him incredulously, “I suppose they can’t know that you fainted either?”

Jungkook nodded as Jimin shook his head.

“This is serious, Jungkook, it’s about your health-”

“Just- please, try and understand what I mean, Jimin.” Jungkook’s melancholy doe-eyes looked down and Jimin finally took notice of his look of distress. He tried to understand as an image of his mother drifted through his mind and it eventually clicked.

Jimin began to nod slowly, Jungkook looked up at the blond and gave him a small grateful smile. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder how he understood what he meant so quickly. His eyes peered closely at his rival. They seemed to be more similar than he thought.

“Where do you want to go then?” Jimin questioned softly.

Jungkook hastily removed the duvet and sat up, swinging his legs out of the bed so he was fully facing Jimin.

“There’s this really nice café nearby.” Jungkook responded enthusiastically, his eyes that were once miserable now glittered with glee.

Jimin let out a light giggle giving Jungkook a floaty sensation that filled his body. “A coffee date, already?” Jimin joked playfully.

Jungkook grinned and leaned forward slightly making Jimin’s cheeks brighten with pink. His voice was deep and rumbled through Jimin’s insides. “Who said anything about a date?” Jungkook chuckled with a mischievous glint as Jimin already began to head out. Jungkook quickly followed after him with the energy of a playful puppy chasing after its toy.

**************************

The gentle orangey rays of sunlight lazily wisped through the puffs of drifting clouds that shifted between white and grey, the sky had been painted a rosy mixture of flowing cerise pink and silky lilac with soothing hints of amber. The pair stood in front of massive, silvery blue gates of the school. Jimin stared at Jungkook expectantly. The brunet felt a tight knot in his chest as the slight breeze timidly brushed against his blond locks and his eyes seemed to hold the same golden glow of the afternoon.

“How are we getting to the café?” Jimin asked.

Jungkook started to walk, slowly at first so Jimin could fall into step with him.

“I didn’t take my car today, so we’re going for a walk.” Jungkook replied casually, avoiding eye contact.

Jimin peered at him closely as though he was some sort of detective figuring out a clue. “You didn’t drive today because you were too tired, weren’t you?

Jungkook couldn’t hide the brief look of shock on his face as he fumbled a lie, “No, I just felt like taking the bus.”

Jimin narrowed his eyes at him, noticing the way his pitch raised slightly when he lied.

“Well, did you drive today?” Jungkook questioned in an attempt to shift the focus from him.

“No,” Jimin smiled softly as he took in his surroundings and felt the tender breeze smooth against his cheeks, “I wanted a change of scenery.”

Jungkook felt the corners of his lips lift as he noticed how content Jimin looked. He wondered what it felt like to take the time to be aware of your surroundings and appreciate the world around you. Disappointment swiftly passed through him as he realised that if he wasn’t in such a rush, he could’ve encountered Jimin on the bus that morning.

The two of them rounded a corner and Jimin saw a bus stop across the road. His hand gently clasped Jungkook’s forearm and they wordlessly crossed the street. Jimin let go once they were at the bus stop yet Jungkook could still feel his adorable fingers warmly holding his arm, tingling against his skin as though he had left an imprint.

“I don’t want you walking around so much when you’ve just barely recovered. We’re taking the bus.” Jimin said sternly, his tone still soft.

Jungkook was ready to be defiant, “No, I’m fine-”

As though the universe was on Jimin’s side, a bus abruptly appeared in the distance and drove up towards them. Jungkook knew there was no point trying to argue as they got on and paid the bus fares before sitting next to one another. Fortunately, there was a sparse amount of people on the bus allowing for a comfortable atmosphere to meld with the soft afternoon glow. The two were both hyperaware of how their shoulders didn’t have to be pressed against each other, but they were anyway. The short journey had only just begun and their knees that once had an appropriate amount of distance between them somehow managed to brush against each other like a pair of lovesick puppies. A certain warmth suddenly appeared as their arms pushed into one another, the tiny hairs on their skin raising and begging for closeness. The pair were practically sandwiched together like a couple of magnets.

They sat in content silence as Jimin joyfully stared out of the window, orange, yellow and brown blurring by as autumn encompassed their world through cascading dead leaves. Jungkook found himself realising that he could take his time to appreciate a certain view- Jimin. He loved the way the warm colours of the season danced across his dewy skin like the lights of a festival celebrating his beauty, his golden-brown eyes would shimmer ever so constantly like the glittery milky way they lived in and his plump lips seemed to emanate the colours of a pink rose under the sun’s rich amber shade.

Jimin turned to him, catching his adorable doe eyes staring at him. Jungkook blushed and looked away abruptly.

“When are we getting off?” Jimin questioned, still staring at the brunet and waiting for him to look at him again.

Jungkook’s eyes stayed lowered as he yawned out, “in 5 stops,” before his eyelids grew heavy again. Jimin felt his heart soar through the clouds with wings when Jungkook blinked ever so cutely, defiantly trying to stop being tired. “You know, it wasn’t going to be a,” he yawned again, and his voice began to quieten, “long…walk. We didn’t…have t-to…take the bus.” He was pretty much mumbling now, his head nodding slightly. “I-I’m…not,” he yawned yet again and Jimin held himself back from squealing when he felt the brunet’s head fall onto his shoulder, his voice was almost inaudible now, “tired.” Jungkook absentmindedly nuzzled into Jimin’s shoulder as he drifted back to sleep.

Jimin made it his mission to not move in any way that would disturb the boy sleeping against him, simply making it more comfortable for Jungkook to slumber soundly upon his shoulder and rest against his arm as he shifted slightly towards the window.

*************************

A relaxing jingle of bells resounded as Jungkook opened the door to the café for Jimin. A chill, smooth song drifted from the radio and into their ears. Jimin looked around to see an assortment of cute, pastel-coloured, soft-cushioned chairs and sofas in intimate pairs and cosy groups with adorable, cream coloured circular tables between. He looked upwards to see fairy lights decorating the ceiling with a couple lamp shades above tables that held a dim yellow glow and was shrouded by flowers dangling upon the shades. There was an unmistakeable earthy vibe from the potted plants in the corners to the rainbows of vibrant flowers that were suspended in the air. Huge, bold, brown lettering read CAFÉ at the till and they both walked towards the short queue. Jimin was immediately welcomed with the pleasant smell of different flowers, coalescing to create the scent of one enormous bouquet just for his arrival. Jungkook smiled proudly to himself at the way Jimin closed his eyes in content and breathed deeply to take in the wonderful atmosphere around him.

“It’s a really cute café.” Jimin stated with a grin that made Jungkook feel light on his toes.

The brunet simply nodded and gestured towards the menus above. “Do you see anything you like?” He asked.

Jimin peered at the menu and looked back at Jungkook. “You should order for me,” Jimin’s gaze grew less innocent and more flirtatious, “and guess what I like.”

Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows slightly, quietly putting pressure on himself to get it right. He turned back to Jimin, “Do the same for me then.” He replied in a lower voice than usual. Jimin kept eye contact with him, lightly biting his lip to send Jungkook over the edge before abruptly cutting their staring contest and looking over at the menu.

Jungkook was at the till first and after casting one last glance towards the menu and one more look towards Jimin he finally ordered. “One americano please,” he said confidently to the barista before gazing at the blond again as he added, “no cream no sugar.”

Jimin merely raised an eyebrow and smirked deciding not to give away whether he was happy with his choice or not. The barista looked at him expectantly to order and Jimin narrowed his eyes at Jungkook before turning towards the till.

“Hot chocolate, please.” Jimin spoke without hesitation.

Jungkook visibly let out a relieved sigh but he still held a look of surprise on his face as they payed and went over to a table for two.

Their backs sank into the soft cushions as they sat near a window in a corner that didn’t put their privacy on display but still allowed them to look outside and appreciate the view. They took off their long coats to make themselves at home in the comfortable atmosphere of the warm, cosy café. Jimin crossed his leg over the other, bringing Jungkook’s attention to his magnificent thighs yet again. The blond’s feet disappeared under the circular table and Jungkook realised how close they were to coming into physical contact with one another; becoming even more pleased about his choice of café.

“How’d you know I don’t really like sugary things?” Jimin asked, cutely cocking his head to one side.

Jungkook eyed Jimin’s sugar white jeans, bubble-gum blue, fluffy sweater and honey-like, golden hair. He grinned, “Everything about you seems sweet and sugary, but something about you feels kind of…” Jungkook noticed Jimin’s sexy little smirk, “unpredictable. So, I guessed the opposite.” Jungkook responded truthfully.

Jimin leaned forward slightly, his foot slowly moving towards Jungkook by an inch as he asked in a low and sultry voice. “What about me is so unpredictable, Jungkook?”

The brunet felt his skin begin to grow more and more clammy as his turtleneck seemed to tighten uncomfortably. His leg began to nervously bounce, immediately freezing when he felt Jimin’s ankle ghost along his jeans before disappearing as though nothing had happened. The blond sent him one of his dangerous eye smiles, completely aware of the havoc he was causing inside of Jungkook.

Jungkook was visibly lost for words as his mouth opened and closed like a cute little guppy. Jimin had to stop himself from saying “aww” out loud as his adorable doe eyes kept trying and failing to avoid eye contact.

The brunet was finally saved from further embarrassment when their orders arrived, and they thanked the barista before swapping their mugs, making the lady pretty confused as she walked away. He decided to ask a question instead of answering Jimin’s very suggestive one because he simply didn’t know how.

“How’d you know I have a sweet tooth?” Jungkook questioned, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the rim of his mug.

“Well, you like me, don’t you? Jimin responded with a brave smirk.

Jungkook was visibly thrown off by how straightforward Jimin was being; his finger slipped off the rim and into the creamy froth of his hot chocolate. Jimin giggled lightly as Jungkook laughed it off and placed his finger in his mouth. Jimin froze, his laughter ceased as he silently watched Jungkook momentarily suck on his finer, completely oblivious to how highly suggestive he was being. He had unknowingly and innocently flirted back to the point that Jimin had to back down without another word. Jungkook simply wondered why the blond was blushing furiously and no longer making eye contact.

Jimin cleared his throat and sipped his americano, filling his taste buds with a strong, dark flavour. He was clearly still flustered as he continued to answer Jungkook’s question.

“I didn’t think you’d like coffee because of its bitter taste.”

Jungkook cutely blew into his drink before drinking his hot chocolate with both hands.

“It’s like you’re still a baby,” Jimin continued softly, smiling warmly at the way Jungkook looked up at him defiantly, “I wouldn’t want to give a baby coffee.” He added teasingly.

Jungkook placed his mug down, revealing a cream moustache on his upper lip as he proceeded to argue, “I’m not a baby-”

Jimin let out another melodious burst of laughter, taking out a napkin from the napkin holder on the table and gently wiping over Jungkook’s mouth like a mother would.

“Sure, you’re not a baby.” Jimin spoke sarcastically, putting down the napkin as he reached up again to lightly pinch Jungkook’s cheek. “You’re a big baby.” He joked playfully, laughing again at Jungkook’s adorable frown.

Jimin felt Jungkook’s hand clasp delicately around his wrist as his doe eyes stared into him, “I bet I’m older than you.” He challenged. Their skin sizzled against each other’s touch until Jimin’s fingers fell limp and Jungkook finally let go.

“When’s your birthday?” Jimin asked, leaning back into his seat to ease the tension slightly.

“September 1st.” Jungkook stated triumphantly.

“Ah, you are older.” Jimin sighed, not really that bothered as he drank his coffee.

Jungkook patiently waited for Jimin to finish before asking, “When’s your birthday?”

“October 13th.” Jimin answered bluntly, “You’re older by 2 months, congratulations.”

“And 12 days.” Jungkook added shamelessly as he proceeded to drink his hot chocolate with a smile on his face.

The minutes went by as quickly as the breeze that blew against the window. The pair got lost in conversation and in each other as they simply forgot about the world around them and created their own little universe where only they existed. They mused about each other’s likes and dislikes, blissfully unaware of how strikingly similar they were to other couples in the café that were on a date. They joked, laughed and flirted like the only boundaries that existed were around them but not between them. Jimin and Jungkook were beginning to simply enjoy the other’s presence and take solace in each other.

Jungkook followed Jimin’s gaze to the window. For a few moments, they silently watched the wind carry the crisp autumn leaves in its grasp, light-heartedly dancing with one another under the lowering sun’s dimming yet radiantly orange smile. People would pass by every now and again, those in a hurry, zooming through the breeze that called for them to look around at the colourful assortment of leaves. Families walking by with their children who would occasionally pick up a particularly striking leaf or simply jump in a pile and cause a multi-coloured torrent of leaves to cascade from the sky.

“Jimin,” the blond immediately gave him his attention making the brunet smile at his beautiful face like it was reflex, “What’s your favourite season?”

Jimin beamed, looking outside as he imagined snowflakes landing on the concrete ground. “Winter,” Jimin gazed back at Jungkook as he added, “because I love snow.”

Jungkook let out a lovestruck sigh at the way Jimin’s golden-brown eyes sparkled with delight and his pink, glossy lips glistened when he smiled. “Pretty.” He said on impulse, realising his mistake as Jimin blushed and blinked at him in surprise.

Jungkook stumbled over his sentence, “I mean- snow! Snow is- uh…pretty.”

Jimin nodded, now blushing since he thought Jungkook was referring to him.

The brunet chuckled at how cowardly he was being before deciding to be a bit bolder. “Actually, I meant you.” Jungkook sent a timid gaze towards Jimin.

The blond fiddled with the end of his sleeve, looking up and giving Jungkook a confused, “Huh?”

“You’re pretty, Jimin.” Jungkook stated, his voice full of sincerity.

Jimin’s cheeks merely reddened even more as he quietly let out a "thank you" and turned towards the window yet again.

They sipped their drinks in comfortable silence before Jimin had finally recovered enough to ask, “What about you? What’s your favourite season?”

“Summer, of course.” He answered in a heartbeat. “It’s when the most swimming competitions happen and also the Suyeong High festival is so much fun!” Jungkook continued excitedly.

Jimin wasn’t surprised by his answer, in fact he had expected it. However, he didn’t know anything about the school festival. Jungkook registered Jimin’s slight look of confusion and remembered he was a former Sindong student. 

“It’s an annual swim festival held at Suyeong High since it’s the most notorious for swimming. There’s a day of the usual festival stuff that even has fair rides. Then the day after is just for tournaments where swimmers and divers from different schools all around the city come to compete for the trophy that Suyeong High has, of course, never lost.”

Jimin took in all this information and the he realised, “Maybe that’s because Sindong has never been invited.” He mentioned in an off-hand manner.

“That may be true, but Suyeong has never been invited to Sindong’s swim competitions either.” Jungkook replied.

Jimin pursed his lips in thought, making it very difficult for Jungkook to look away from his mouth, “I wonder why…” his sentence trailed off as he got lost in thought.

“I think both schools are afraid of losing. One is known for being all elite and the other is known for being the best at swimming.”

“That makes sense. It’s all about pride.” Jimin commented.

Jungkook nodded, his eyes burning with a flicker of fire, “I wonder when one of them is going to challenge the other.”

Jimin sighed, his mind drifting to his former swim team and remembering how vicious they were. He silently hoped that Sindong and Suyeong would stick to their ways and never cross paths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to try and update every Monday and thank you so much for reading!


	15. Wave 15

Hoseok latched on to Yoongi’s hands that were holding on to the edge of the pool. The black-haired boy looked up at the redhead from the water. Hoseok’s eyes burned with such intensity it was getting difficult for Yoongi to keep a straight face.

“If I do a perfect dive, you’re going to do what I say.” Hoseok demanded, trying to force away the smile on his face.

“No, Hobi, that’s almost a guaranteed yes.” Yoongi stated bluntly.

“Deal.” Hoseok spoke again, dismissing his statement completely.

Yoongi sighed before widening his eyes as Hoseok quickly went over to the diving pools.

“I didn’t say yes!” Yoongi yelled after him.

“Was that a yes?” Hoseok shouted back, getting to the enormous ladder.

“I said no!”

“I can’t hear you, I’m too far away!” Hoseok hollered playfully as he got closer to the top.

Yoongi simply laughed at his childish antics, “He definitely has selective hearing.” He muttered to himself.

Taehyung had reached Yoongi’s side of the pool after a couple laps and popped up through the water, making the black-haired boy next to him jump. Taehyung couldn’t help but giggle at the way Yoongi’s calm and collected façade broke momentarily.

“What did I say about popping out of the water randomly?” Yoongi scolded sternly.

“How else am I supposed to breathe?” Taehyung retorted cheekily before getting splashed in the face and laughing even more.

Taehyung was about to splash Yoongi back only to freeze in awe at the sight of Hoseok at the top of the highest diving board. The pair watched the way his soaking, dazzling, crimson red hair was drawn back to reveal his forehead and his cheerful smile was able to shine brighter than the sun ever could. He waved excitedly at them, making both Yoongi and Taehyung wonder if he was waving to them individually. They waved back, almost hesitantly at first, swearing they could see Hoseok’s eyes twinkle all the way from the long-course pool.

Hoseok suddenly sprung from the diving board with multiple, gravity-defying jumps. Then he began to coil, twist and pretty much dance in the air, melding into different shapes and positions like it was a choreographed routine imprinted in his mind before gracefully and flawlessly spiking into the water. Yoongi and Taehyung felt their jaws drop in unison. There was barely a single splash. The water simply rippled calmly as though a mere coin had dropped in.

As soon as Hoseok’s bright red hair emerged from the water, Coach Choi bellowed through his megaphone, “THAT’S A TEN! WELL DONE HOSEOK!”

Hoseok removed his hands from his ears with a grin and yelled over to Yoongi, “Did you hear that, Yoongi? A perfect dive!”

The black-haired boy rolled his eyes, of course he heard it; everyone did. Hoseok was just gloating at this point.

“I can’t hear you, I’m too far away!” Yoongi shouted back as he teasingly turned away. He could already picture him pouting cutely from the diving area.

Taehyung looked between the two before focusing on Yoongi as he spoke, “Hoseok’s pretty amazing at diving.” Taehyung commented in a matter-of-fact manner.

Yoongi nodded, “Of course he is. This is Suyeong High after all.” He spoke bluntly.

“It’s kind of surprising that he’d be a diver and not a swimmer though. He’s mentioned his fear of heights.”

Yoongi held himself back from being immature and saying how he’s only known him for 2 days.

“He started off swimming, he didn’t feel anything for it though. Of course, he was afraid of diving at first until he received enough convincing and realised that it’s more than just jumping from a height.” Yoongi spoke with slight sense of pride, asserting how he knew more about Hoseok than anyone.

He smiled fondly as he quietly relived a moment from their childhood.

***********************

Hoseok frowned at the monstrous figure before him; a diving platform that seemed to stretch upwards for eternity and cast a daunting shadow upon those below it. He couldn’t even place his foot on the first step of the ladder let alone jump from the beastly platform. Yoongi tapped his shoulder, the brunet turned around to face the darker-haired boy. Their faces were rounder, younger and held the innocent yet lost glow of a middle school kid trying to find their way. Hoseok shook his head vigorously, seemingly dead set on not getting on that diving board.

“You don’t like swimming.” Yoongi deadpanned.

Hoseok nodded.

“You don’t like short-distance because it’s too fast.”

Hoseok nodded again.

“You don’t like long-distance because it’s too tiring.”

Hoseok huffed before nodding yet again.

“So, try diving.” Yoongi said softly, smiling at the way Hoseok cutely shook his head instead.

“It’s too high.” Hoseok whispered, lowering his head. Yoongi held on to his shoulders.

“When you go up a flight of stairs, you don’t say it’s too high, do you?” Yoongi argued, satisfied as Hoseok shook his head.

“Going up the stairs doesn’t mean having to fall down, though.” Hoseok mentioned stubbornly.

Yoongi stared at Hoseok and finally caught his warm brown eyes with his own darker ones. He watched them soften as Hoseok looked at him. But they were still filled with fear.

“Don’t think of it as falling…think of it as- flying downwards,” Yoongi grinned as he watched the hope begin to replace the panic in his eyes, “with style.” Hoseok laughed softly as Yoongi added, “A bit like a dancer.”

Hoseok thought about it for a few moments, getting more and more confident until his eyes widened and lowered again. Yoongi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion,

“What’s wrong?” the dark-haired boy asked, pure worry in his tone.

“I’m still scared of what’s at the bottom.” Hoseok muttered quietly.

Yoongi chuckled, “It’s a pool of water, you can’t possibly miss it.”

Hoseok narrowed his eyes at him until Yoongi felt a wave of understanding.

“Alright, it’s not water. It’s just me at the bottom with my arms wide open,” Yoongi let go of him and spread out his arms accordingly, “ready to give you a big, warm hug.”

Hoseok mirrored Yoongi’s cute gummy smile with his own beaming grin as he threw himself into his embrace without hesitation.

“That was really cheesy, Yoongi.” Hoseok mumbled into his shoulder.

Yoongi tightened his hold around him, never wanting to let him go as he gruffly whispered back with a smile, “Ugh, I know.”

**************************

Taehyung poked Yoongi until he finally came back to the present. The black-haired boy blinked at him, registering his presence.

“Yoongi, let’s race.” He suggested calmly.

Yoongi nodded curtly as Taehyung knew to take that as a yes. The pair placed their goggles on and fixed their swim caps before launching into the water and swimming for seemingly a never-ending number of laps. The two seemed evenly matched, their swimming styles varying slightly as Taehyung pushed through the water like a machine that never rusted, moving at an almost constant speed. Yoongi, instead, would slow down at certain points as though he was recharging his sudden bursts of energy and would suddenly begin rocketing through erratic splashes of water.

They swam for so long that the divers were told by Coach Choi to stop watching and go back to diving. Only one out of the three of them seemed to be listening though as Namjoon and Seokjin were naturally bickering about something. Coach Choi knew the race was only halfway done so he walked closer to the pair, excited to tell them off with his newly found megaphone.

“What do you mean five of them?” Jin gasped, his pitch raised with shock.

“I want a big family.” Namjoon retorted defiantly.

“A big family? Stop being ridiculous!” Jin shouted incredulously.

Coach Choi froze, staring at the two of them in quiet disbelief.

“They’re my babies!” Namjoon complained in a whiny tone.

“They’re expensive!” Jin shot back loudly.

Coach Choi blinked, “Are you two seriously discussing the amount of kids you want during practice?” he asked incredulously, still shocked as to why he had to ask this in first place.

Namjoon and Seokjin silenced, staring back at their coach in pure and utter confusion. Seokjin even turned his ear towards him as though asking if he heard that correctly.

“No, what the hell-” Namjoon began.

“We’re discussing Namjoon’s obsession with toys.” Seokjin answered straightforwardly, casting an annoyed look towards his white-haired boyfriend.

“They’re not toys! They’re collection figures-” Namjoon argued indignantly.

“Why would we be thinking about adopting kids anyway?” Jin questioned sassily before walking away to a diving pool with an obvious blush on his face. Namjoon chuckled awkwardly, his cheeks also reddening as he trailed after his boyfriend.

Coach Choi attempted to scratch the back of his head with the same hand that held his megaphone only to stupidly bonk himself. He hissed before quickly composing himself and looking around, hoping none of the kids saw him be an idiot. Before he could so much as sigh in relief, he heard the familiar cackle of a certain redhead. He looked up to see Hoseok holding his stomach and pointing at him whilst laughing raucously. He lost his balance and fell into the water with as much as grace as a newly born duckling. Coach Choi chuckled to himself as shouted through his megaphone.

“ZEROOOO!”

****************************

Jimin turned away from the window and watched with a smile as Jungkook sat down and laid back in his seat with a look of content. The bus was as peaceful as ever, with only a few people getting on and off every now and again. They had spent hours together as they realised that they both lost track of time. The warm colours of the sky gradually dipped into cooler tones, lavender and indigo began to edge away at the disappearing sun’s dulling rays.

They had already sprung into conversation as soon as they were seated on the bus, pressed together as though they were inseparable. However, to their dismay, the bus journey was a short one. Jungkook’s expression grew visibly disappointed as he noticed he would have to get off soon. His doe eyes lowered and Jimin noticed the way his lips momentarily became a small pout; he, of course, found it incredibly adorable that Jungkook didn’t want their time to come to an end.

“I have to get off at the next stop.” Jungkook stated, almost begrudgingly.

Jimin gave him a warm yet slightly sad smile as he responded, “We’ll hang out again.”

Jungkook nodded immediately, his bunny-like grin beaming with glee, “Definitely.”

He noticed how the blond’s golden-brown eyes still held a hint of worry.

“Please don’t swim today. Just eat dinner and rest.” Jimin spoke bluntly, his tone failed to be stern but was still filled with care.

Jungkook’s eyes flickered with a certain emotion that made Jimin feel the need to grasp his hand in his. He wasn’t at all convinced.

“Please, Kookie.” Jimin pleaded softly.

Jungkook felt his breath get caught in his throat as he felt Jimin’s thumb gently caress his knuckles, his skin magically soothing every fear within him. He nodded wordlessly, unaware of how it wasn’t enough.

“Promise?” Jimin asked quietly, his voice wavering whilst Jungkook saw the doubt within his eyes.

“I promise.” Jungkook replied in a gentle whisper that drifted into his ears like a calming breeze.

Jimin smiled sweetly as Jungkook’s cheeks blushed lightly. He couldn’t fathom how or why he had given into his demands so easily. There seemed to be something about him that he was unable to resist; a part of him that just couldn’t deal with being the cause of disappointment painted on his beautiful face.

A rush of coldness nipped at his fingers as Jimin let go of his hand and looked at him expectantly.

“Bye, Kookie.” Jimin said cutely, grinning as Jungkook looked at him in awe as though he was the most adorable thing in existence.

The doors on the bus opened as Jungkook quickly responded with, “Bye, Mochi.”, flashing him a delighted smile as he skipped off the bus.

*************************

Jungkook sighed as he spotted his father’s shining, sleek, black Bugatti; the headlights seemed to follow him as he walked to the front door like he was mere prey being stalked by the merciless eyes of a predator. He entered the house, taking off his shoes and sliding on his slippers then he trudged his way into the spacious dining room. He found himself feeling somewhat stranded as he was immediately faced with the colossal pool through the window; a spotless, glass wall that displayed the very thing he was beginning to dread. Jungkook breathed deeply, trying his hardest not to look at the massive window.

His mother stopped setting food on the pale creamy white, iron table and headed over to her son as he politely greeted her. She wrapped her small frame around him and her flowery perfume filled his nose with a gentle tickle that made him smile fondly; it was a rosy vanilla this time. His mother momentarily tightened her hold before letting go and straightening her apron as she asked, “How was school?”

“It was fine.” He replied without hesitation as though it was a reflex, only for him to recall how it was anything but fine. Nevertheless, he also thought about how a certain angel with golden-brown eyes saved his day- and his life.

Jungkook dropped his bag to floor, wordlessly washed his hands and helped his mother set the table. He didn’t notice his mother’s smirk as she proceeded to say, “How was Jimin?”

Something within his doe eyes seemed to spark to life at the mention of his saviour’s name. Jungkook began in an excited tone, “He was-”, until he caught on to his mother’s trap, he narrowed his eyes at her playfully and ended with “none of your business.”

His mother merely laughed as she continued plating food and setting the table. His cheeks were dusted with a pinkish tint as he wondered why his mother brought up Jimin.

A deep, commanding voice, as heavy as the water that had crushed him, suddenly resounded into the dining room.

“Hey, son! How was practice?” His father questioned with a jovial smile and a hearty yet hardened tone.

Jungkook’s fingers shook slightly, the plate he was holding clanged jarringly against the dining table. His mother silently took it from him as she discreetly hid her worried and slightly confused glance.

“It was fine.” Jungkook spoke, attempting to keep his voice as stable as possible as he lied.

His father noticed nothing, simply grinning as he kissed his wife on the cheek and ruffled his son’s hair. Then he paused and his perplexed features inadvertently made Jungkook’s heartbeat pick up with panic. His mind raced, desperately thinking up answers to unasked questions. He took notice of his father’s casual, home attire and slightly damp hair. He seemed to have gotten off early from work and come home earlier; his father would’ve definitely noticed-

“Your car was still in the driveway; you didn’t drive to school today?” his father asked.

Jungkook’s eyes flickered over to the enormous window, bypassing the pool and glancing at the sun that had nearly vanished, but was still holding its yellow glow. He thought of Jimin.

He gave his father a genuine smile at the thought of the blond. “I wanted a change of scenery.” He answered with composure.

His father cocked his head to the side slightly as though he hadn’t expected that answer before nodding. Jungkook froze when he felt his father’s fingers delve deeper into his hair, not ruffling it this time but somewhat inspecting it. His heartbeat was sprinting in a marathon.

“Your hair’s bone dry-” his father began before getting interrupted by his wife.

“Jungkook, go wash up for dinner.” She ordered calmly.

He nodded before grabbing his bag and quickly leaving the room with his chest nearly ready to break apart.

*************************

The sun had disappeared completely now. Jungkook sat opposite his parents, gingerly placing a piece of kimchi into his mouth. Flavours filled with his mother’s love flooded his taste buds. He watched the lights of the ornately designed lamps hanging from the ceiling dance across the white walls. His ears muted the chatter amongst his parents as they spoke about work and how their businesses were doing. He continued to pick up as much food as he could from the colourfully vibrant feast laid before him, distracting himself with meat, vegetables and pastry. However, he was caught off guard with an egg halfway into his mouth when he heard his father say his name.

“So, Jungkook, did you beat that rival of yours? Who was it- Jaemin?” his father asked before stuffing perfectly seasoned pieces of pork belly into his mouth.

Jungkook gulped his food down, his throat felt as though it was narrowing dangerously as he tried to swallow rocks.

“His name is Jimin.” He chuckled nervously, as he stared at the table wishing he hadn’t felt the overwhelming need to correct him, “he wouldn’t be a rival if I could just beat him in a day.” Jungkook spoke matter-of-factly.

Jungkook tapped his chopsticks against his plate as he felt his father’s gaze harden.

“So, your races only end up in draws?” his father continued, his question sounding more like a statement than an answer.

Jungkook drank from his glass of water. All he could taste was the harsh chlorine. His throat burned as though he was chugging acid, his mind forced him back to the pool outside, taunting him with the way the water filled his lungs and clogged up his insides. He recalled how he could have died in that pool and also in the pool at school. He felt suffocated internally and externally. His body rejected the water, choking out the clear, venomous liquid and knocking over the rest of his glass.

His mother was by him in a flash, rubbing his back soothingly as his violent coughing became ragged breathing. He let go of his aching throat and noticed the pure panic in his parents’ eyes.

“Son, are you okay?” His mother asked worriedly, her tone soft but her face anxious.

“What happened?” His father questioned, all Jungkook could hear was confusion and concern.

He watched the puddles of water on the table splatter on to the floor; it reminded him of blood rather than rain.

“Nothing,” he croaked out, “I just sort of…breathed it in.” he added with a forced, dry laugh.

His mother continued to watch him warily as she cleaned up the mess he made and went back to her seat. His father rolled his eyes at his silly antics and chuckled lightly, reaching over to give his head a few rough pats before continuing to eat. Jungkook managed to hide how shaken up he felt, staring at his chopsticks before setting them down and quietly asking to be excused from the table.

He couldn’t bear the thought of his father remembering that he never answered his question.

“You’re in a rush to go for a swim?” his father spoke, there it was again; another question that sounded like a statement. A part of Jungkook felt as though he was being tricked. It was like a command covertly hidden with what seemed like a choice he simply couldn’t make.

“I’m going to bed.” Jungkook replied bluntly.

His father belted out a hearty laugh, “Are you 18 or 80? Son, it’s only evening-”

“The boy’s tired and he’s smart enough to know when to rest.” His mother cut in smoothly, gesturing for Jungkook to head upstairs.

“Laziness isn’t a good habit let alone a smart one.” His voice sharpened, cutting through Jungkook and stinging his mind.

“He’s anything but lazy, and you’ve definitely made sure of that.” His mother retorted icily.

Jungkook watched his father huff in annoyance, already sensing what he had unintentionally started.

“I-” He started desperately only to get cut off by his mother.

“Go to bed, Jungkook.”

Jungkook cast one last look between his parents before stepping out of the dining room and standing with his back facing the doors. He winced at their raised voices that snaked through the gaps and into his ears.

“Would you stop babying him?” his father boomed.

“Would you stop working him to the bone?” his mother shouted back.

“I’m doing what’s best for him!”

“You’re doing what’s best for you!”

Their voices gradually diminished to a low hum as he headed upstairs and closed his bedroom door behind him. A torrent of emotions tried to surge through the already withering dam he had built as his hand shook against the doorknob. He breathed deeply, remembering the warm sensation of Jimin’s thumb running over his knuckles like a feather smoothing over the jagged edges of cold, broken glass. Jungkook had kept his promise. He tried to push away the doubts and worries; fear gnawing at his insides as he came to the realisation that they wouldn’t be arguing if he had just…swam.


	16. Wave 16

The serene darkness of night cascaded down on to their world, myriads of stars cheerfully twinkling in unison as the crescent moon released a radiant, silver afterglow that pierced through the sky’s deep sapphire veil. Jimin stuck his head out of his bedroom window, shivering momentarily as the breeze brought a cool shock to his delicate skin leaving him with a tingling sensation as he closed his eyes for a few moments. He gazed at the way the stars glimmered, preferring the real ones over the ones plastered on his ceiling. Somehow his mind drifted to Jungkook like an incessant trail of wind that only went in one direction. He sighed wistfully before closing the window and deciding to leave the curtains open. Jimin turned on his bedroom lamp and curled into his duvet, resembling that of a sleepy kitten. He thought about the way Jungkook’s doe eyes never failed to sparkle when he looked at him and how his bow-shaped lips always seemed to smile adorably whenever Jimin giggled at his jokes. Jimin hid under his covers in solitary embarrassment as he realised his mind had wandered over to those very lips again.

His phone buzzed suddenly and so did his heart as he picked up his phone in silent anticipation of who it could be. He felt a mixture of relief and disappointment as he scrolled through the group chat to see Hoseok and Taehyung spamming cute gifs and memes whilst being told off by the rest of the group to cut it out. Jimin absentmindedly tapped his way over to Jungkook’s profile and gave himself a mental pep-talk as he sent him a message.

‘You better be in bed.’

Jimin felt his heart trip over itself as he noticed Jungkook was already typing a response.

‘What if I’m not?’ he challenged, cheekily adding an emoji sticking its tongue out.

‘It’s an order, Jungkook.’

Jimin was currently grinning to himself like an idiot, he was glad Jungkook would have no clue of how he was affecting him at that moment.

‘Well, it’s a good thing I am in bed.’

The blond’s cheeks gave a light blush, a part of him was shocked that Jungkook had kept his promise to him. He smirked mischievously.

‘Prove it.’ He ordered boldly.

A few moments passed as Jimin wondered if he would get the hint. His screen brightened abruptly with in an image and he couldn’t stop himself from squealing into his pillow. He removed his face from the soft material and stared at his screen like the selfie of Jungkook huddled up in bed could disappear any second.

“How are you this cute?” Jimin thought out loud.

He was simply taken aback by how Jungkook’s cheek was squished against his dark blue pillow, his doe eyes bright and innocent as his rosy lips gave a slight, triumphant smirk.

‘Jungkookie~ you’re way too adorable for your own good!’, Jimin typed with a content smile that seemed brighter than his screen. He added a bunch of cute emojis to emphasise his point.

Jungkook sent an embarrassed emoji in response, seemingly lost for words. Jimin blushed even more at the thought of the brunet being unable to dominate the conversation and merely doing whatever he asked. Then he realised he thought too soon.

‘Send a selfie of you’, Jungkook demanded.

Jimin had a sharp intake of breath, thrown off by how he was being commanded instead. 

He shyly typed out, ‘Why?’

‘I want to see if you’re still as cute as you were earlier today.’

The blond chuckled lightly, already setting out to take the best selfie possible. He quickly tried to find the right angle, deleting multiple before he was finally satisfied. Jimin sent it without hesitation, knowing that if he paused, he would’ve wanted to take another one.

He stared at his screen nervously, wondering what Jungkook was thinking despite being unable to read minds.

The brunet simply typed, ‘Ah…’

Jimin froze, waiting for him to continue. What did he mean by that? Was he disappointed?

‘You’re even cuter.’

The blond suddenly kicked his blanket and rolled around in a fit of delight and joy as he read Jungkook’s message over and over again. He ended up squealing out loud this time causing his dad to race into his room like it was a fire drill.

“Son, what is it? Is it the monster under your bed?” his father asked in a rush. Then he registered his son’s blushing face and raised an eyebrow with a silly smirk.

“It’s nothing, Dad.’ Jimin replied quietly, his embarrassed expression hidden into his pillow.

“Nothing? I thought his name was Jun-”

Jimin sat up abruptly, “Go awayyy~”

His father quickly ran up to him and gave him a hard flick on his forehead.

“OW!” Jimin yelped. He scrunched his face at his dad as he rubbed his forehead.

“That was for screaming late at night for no reason.” He scolded, dramatically pointing at him before leaving his room.

*************************

Jungkook finally tore his eyes away from Jimin’s selfie. He wondered why he couldn’t seem to get enough of his slightly, messy blond hair, with the light blush that dusted his cheeks in such a subtle yet alluring way and of course his eyes kept straying over to his adorably pouty lips. He gathered up all his bravery and called him without another moment to spare.

His heart jumped when Jimin picked up on the first ring.

“Did you miss my voice that much?” Jimin asked jokingly with a soft giggle.

Jungkook chose to be completely shameless with him. “Yes, I could listen to your voice all day.”

He smirked triumphantly as Jimin failed to think of a reply. He simply let out a breathy ‘Oh…” that made a pleasant shiver run through Jungkook’s ear.

“I realised that I never really thanked you for literally saving my life today.”

“You don’t have to-”

“Thank you, Jimin.” Jungkook said with immense sincerity and gratitude.

Jimin stuttered cutely as he was clearly out of his element, “Y-you’re welcome.”

“I’m really glad I met you.” Jungkook continued with a content smile.

Jimin sighed into a laugh, thrown off by how forward he was being. “I’m glad I met you too.”

The two experienced a sort of déjà vu as they spent time talking for a while. Something about the dynamics of their conversation was different though, their flirting becoming one-sided as Jungkook seemed to be giving Jimin never-ending compliments that rendered the blond a blushing mess. Jungkook realised how much he enjoyed hearing Jimin stumbling through his sentences or simply being speechless. He had an amused smirk on his face as he came to terms with how he could turn the tables around in their little game. If Jimin wanted to flirt with him, Jungkook would just have to flirt back even harder.

“Jungkook, stop~” Jimin whined.

The brunet chuckled evilly as he snuggled into his pillow.

“Say that again.” Jungkook ordered, his voice low and suggestive.

Jimin paused, “Say what?”

“My name.”

Jungkook let out a laugh as Jimin gasped in realisation and resorted to staying silent.

He grinned, “Come on, Jiminie~”

“Go to sleep.” Jimin deadpanned.

The brunet said nothing.

“Hey!”

Jungkook stubbornly kept his mouth shut.

Jimin sighed and eventually gave in, “Jungkook.” He muttered under his breath.

“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you.” He lied playfully.

“Jungkook.” He spoke louder, pronouncing his name in the cutest way possible as the brunet could’ve sworn he could hear the pout in his voice.

He murmured wordlessly into the phone, “Mmh~”, he was practically purring softly with delight at the sound of his name escaping Jimin’s lips like a forbidden song.

“We’re not staying up like yesterday. Go to sleep, okay?”

“Okay.” Jungkook muttered.

Jimin smiled fondly, “Sweet dreams, Kookie.”

“As long as I dream of you.”

“Oh my- goodnight!” Jimin sighed exasperatedly, still blushing in the dark.

Jungkook chuckled, “Goodnight, Mochi.”

Their delightful conversation came to an end as Jimin hung up. Jungkook placed his phone on his bedside table and looked at the tightly closed blackout curtains. He stood up and opened them, almost taken aback by how brightly the moon and stars shone, practically bursting through the darkness of the night sky with silvery, luminous rays. He stared up at the crescent shape of the moon, thinking of Jimin’s wonderful smile that seemed to light up something inside of him, it was like a candle that never stopped burning. A flame that he was willing to follow without any hesitation as it lit up the way for him. Jungkook lifted the window open, breathing in the cold fresh air as the wind washed over him like an airy shower of relaxation. His body felt rejuvenated as he simply breathed in and out, appreciating the life that had been given to him as he felt his lungs overflow with oxygen.

He was happy to be alive.

After a few moments, Jungkook closed the window with a small smile and left the curtains open. He burrowed into his duvet and gazed at the night sky from his bed. Jungkook had decided that he just wanted to see the sun come up in the morning. He wanted the light to wake him up instead.

***********************

A few days passed by as the pair continued their usual routine of flirting, races and simply being in each other’s presence. It was a routine they didn’t seem to ever get tired of. The more they raced, the less disappointed Jungkook would feel when he lost as he was reminded of how close he was to winning when it came to different strokes. Whenever he delved into the cool waters of the pool, he’d sometimes remember to just go for a leisurely swim, knowing that Jimin always waited patiently for him at the end for just a mere friendly race. The feeling of losing went from an immense wave of agony to a dull ache in his chest and with this, his smiles grew brighter.

It was a refreshingly cool Friday, Jimin was in a particularly good mood, his stomach was satisfied from his previous lunch and there was a small smile on his face as he chatted with the multiple friends he had made throughout the week from his classes. He asked one of them to take him to the school gym when he realised, he had physical education next. His friend, a girl with a wavy bob, cute bangs and big circular glasses, loosely linked arms with him and tugged him along.

Jimin grinned, “Thanks, Soya milk-”

Suya pinched his side making him yelp before bursting into laughter.

“I also have gym next and it’s Suya, we’ve been over this, brat.” She scolded, giving him a playful scowl as they walked together.

Suya lead him to a pair of large double doors painted navy blue, she removed her arm from his and pushed open the doors to reveal an incredibly spacious gym hall that seemed to stretch on endlessly. Jimin wondered how rich the school had to be to be able to get rid of the incessant smell of musty old gym socks and body odour. He furrowed his eyebrows, unable to even sense sweat in the air as his nose filled with a scent of a subtle air freshener and even a hint of washing powder. The wood floorboards were spotless, the walls didn’t have a stain in sight and the equipment seemed expensively new.

Jimin gave Suya an incredulous look.

“I don’t know how they do it either, it’s ridiculous.” Suya commented, pushing her glasses up her nose as though she was analysing the room through a scanner.

Students were already dressed in the sky blue and white tracksuits that had the school logo on their backs. It consisted of intricate blue waves and Poseidon’s golden trident in the middle.

“I suggest you get changed quickly. But, you’re on the swim team so Coach Choi might favourite you-” Suya began only to get cut off by the shrill sound of a megaphone.

“JIMIN YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS TO GET INTO THE CHANGING ROOMS!”

Suya snorted as Jimin thanked her hurriedly and ran off.

“YOU TOO, SOYA MILK!” Coach Choi yelled.

“It’s Suya, and you know it is!” She shouted back before heading to the female changing rooms. 

*************************

“Oh.” Jimin breathed out when he turned around from the door and caught sight of Jungkook shirtless.

The brunet smirked as he threw on a white t-shirt, “Haven’t you seen enough of me from swim practice?”

Jimin made his way over to him and lifted his shirt before playfully poking his abs making Jungkook giggle adorably.

“You’re ticklish?” Jimin gasped, staring into his doe eyes with a mischievous raise of his eyebrows.

Jungkook quickly ran to the door, “That’s a trick question, you’ll tickle me if I say yes and you’ll tickle me anyway if I say no-”

Jimin laughed evilly, “So you are ticklish!”

Jungkook yelped as Jimin chased him around the empty changing room. They ran through it like a maze, hopping over seats and hiding behind lockers until Jimin finally caught him and pressed him against one.

“Jiminie, have mercy-” Jungkook pleaded with a smile.

Jimin shook his head, his hands circling Jungkook’s wrists as he stopped him from escaping. There was a tension-filled silence that weighed down on the pair as Jimin leaned in close, looking up at the taller brunet with golden-brown eyes that seemed to lure Jungkook deeper into a trance. Jimin gave him a seductive, little smirk, triumphantly taking in how he could switch their game into his favour so easily. Then he noticed how Jungkook seemed to mirror his expression and before he could think about what it meant, the brunet had already gotten out of his hold and swapped their positions. Jimin felt the cold metal of the locker send shivers through his spine as he encountered Jungkook’s intense stare that set the rest of him on fire.

Jungkook leaned into Jimin’s ear and let out a low, breathy whisper that made him freeze, “I’m stronger than you, Jimin.”

Jimin’s eyes ran over his arms to his hands that held his wrists in his grasp, he smiled, enjoying the way his muscles flexed and his veins were more visible.

“You sure are.” Jimin agreed, his gaze became somewhat submissive, slightly confusing Jungkook as the brunet seemed stuck. He didn’t know what to do to the blond, let alone what the blond wanted him to do.

He chuckled nervously after a few moments, his courage slipping away as his grip loosened.

“JIMIN AND JUNGKOOK DON’T MAKE ME COME IN THERE!” Coach Choi hollered from outside.

The two jumped apart abruptly, wordlessly going about their separate ways. Jungkook picked up his P.E jacket and left whilst Jimin changed as quickly as possible.

**************************

Jimin sat down by the bleachers with Suya. The dim rays of the sun hid behind white masses of clouds as the greying sky displayed a calm and serene autumn aura. Crushed leaves skittered across the field as multiple trainers pounded against the track. The wind slashed across their cheeks every now and again, enough to chill them but not enough to freeze them. Suya complained about doing P.E outside whilst Jimin watched the runners, a boy with light-brown hair in particular who never seemed to get tired of winning every race. She quietened, peering at the runners until Jimin noticed her silence and asked what she’s looking for.

“The boy that you’re staring at.” She answered blankly.

Jimin scoffed, “How do you know it’s a boy?”

“The girls are on the other side of track, dumbass.” She deadpanned.

Jimin looked away and stared at the sky instead, Suya smirked and followed his gaze before gasping.

“Coach, it’s going to rain, we better get inside!” She yelled.

Coach Choi paused his motivational shouting through his megaphone and jogged over to the bleachers.

“How do you know, weather lady?” Coach Choi questioned sassily.

“I’m clearly a trained meteorologist.” Suya responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm as Jimin chuckled.

Coach Choi rolled his eyes and silently raised his megaphone. Suya clumsily stood up and ran over to the track, pulling Jimin along with her.

The pair jogged along the track as Suya muttered under her breath, “Damn athletes.”

Jimin mocked offense, “Hey!”

Suya simply nudged his side before continuing, “You were watching Jungkook, right?”

Jimin blushed, “No.” he uttered quietly.

“You’re lying!” Suya accused loudly, causing a couple runners to even turn around in confusion.

Jimin said nothing and sped up to avoid answering.

“Get back here, you brat!” Suya yelled as she ran after him.

Jimin broke into a full sprint, blazing past the rest of the class who stared after him in pure shock. Jungkook had been leading the class at a leisurely run this whole time so he, of course, did a double take when he saw blond hair blur past him. He chuckled to himself before speeding towards Jimin.

The rest of the class hung back as the two began racing each other wildly. They ran with the wind that soared past their ears, boundlessly whizzing across the track with grins on their faces, glistening with sweat. Coach Choi was already at the end of the track, prepared to judge who crossed the finish line first. Their feet hammered into the ground with such intensity, it felt as though the earth was quaking beneath them. They were close to the finish line.

Coach Choi shouted through his megaphone, “JUNGKOOK IS THE WINNER!”

Jimin cursed as he noticed Jungkook’s leg reached the line first. The class erupted with cheers as students congratulated them both, a majority of the girls were squealing around Jungkook though, praising and complimenting him endlessly. He decidedly didn’t give them any attention as he thanked them once and made his way over to Jimin through the crowd.

The blond crossed his arms over his chest, “I blame the height difference.” He huffed cutely.

Jungkook patted his head, earning a scowl from the blond and laughing, “I think your height is adorable.”

Jimin simply rolled his eyes, lowering his eyes as he blushed.

“You were really fast, Jimin.” Jungkook commented.

He smirked, “Of course I was. I’m not your rival for nothing.”

Jungkook grinned, his smile falling from his face when he heard the persistent calling of his name. Jimin looked over at the crowd of girls from their class offering Jungkook water.

“Your fan club is waiting.” Jimin teased.

Jungkook sighed, giving Jimin one last look as he was somehow pulled back into the frenzy. Suya jogged over to Jimin, panting as she slowed down when she got close enough to smack him upside the head with his water bottle.

“Ow!” Jimin hissed before attempting to flick her forehead.

Suya glared him down, her brown hair sticking to her skin, her glasses askew and her face red from all that running. Jimin lowered his hand and thanked her quietly as he took his water bottle. She drank from her own bottle for a few moments, the pair gulped down the cool, refreshing water before regaining their energy.

Suya sighed, “I knew it was Jungkook.”

Jimin silently continued drinking, avoiding eye contact.

Suya took note of the crowd of girls surrounding the golden boy, “Of course, it’s the most popular boy in school. I hope you’re not the jealous type.”

Jimin rolled his eyes, “Why would I be jealous-”

He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder and nearly gasped out loud when he came face to face with The Golden Fin himself. Jimin looked at Jungkook then back at the group of disappointed girls.

Jungkook smiled fondly at him whilst Jimin seemed lost for words at the sight of his jacket tied around his waist and sweat dripping down his tight, muscular biceps.

“I forgot my water bottle.” Jungkook stated, his bright doe eyes staring at him expectantly.

Jimin blinked before simply responding with, “Here.”, as he handed him his own water bottle.

Jungkook beamed, taking his water and nearly finishing it with a couple swigs. He winked at him as he gave it back, completely aware of the indirect kiss they shared.

“Thanks.” He smirked and jogged back to the track.

Suya was busy screaming with her mouth closed as she made multiple hearts between the two of them and shamelessly teased Jimin with every fibre of her being. Jimin was blushing furiously as he stared at his water bottle.

“You know what, you were right-” She mused with a cheeky grin.

Jimin was still dumbfounded, “Huh?”

“Why would you be jealous? You’ve clearly got him wrapped around your little finger.” Suya told him with an excited expression. She brought up his pinkie finger next to her own and compared the sizes, “Oh my- it really is little-” Suya joked.

“Shut up, Soya milk~” Jimin whined.

**************************

The sky had completely lost any trace of the sun’s pale-yellow rays and a dreary greyness stretched across the field. Suya felt a droplet of water patter on to her nose and grinned at Jimin who simply raised an eyebrow at how. She carefully booped her nose and skittered over to Coach Choi with evidence on her finger.

Suya exaggerated, “Aha! I told you so! It’s a damn downpour-”

Coach Choi frowned, “It’s just a bit of-”, a torrent of raindrops suddenly tumbled on to the earth below, “…rain.” He muttered.

It was a huge flow of water drenching all of them with such harsh intensity they couldn’t help but wonder why Mother Nature was in such a rush. Suya smirked triumphantly before covering her ears in preparation for the coach’s yelling.

“EVERYBODY INSIDE, NOW! WE’RE FINISHING EARLY!” Coach Choi informed loudly through his megaphone.

Jimin called Jungkook over whilst students ran in the opposite direction. Jungkook jogged over to him obediently and Suya watched, her mouth agape as Jimin said the words, “Carry me.”

Jungkook smiled before turning around and crouching, “Yes, master.”

Jimin happily hopped on to his back as he was lifted up with ease. He stuck his tongue out at Suya who mouthed the word, “master”, back at him in pure confusion. She gasped as she threw up one more heart for the pair before running to the gym without hesitation.

Coach Choi rolled his eyes, “So she runs fast when it’s time to go home.” He remarked whilst shaking his head. He paused when he noticed Jungkook sprinting into the gym with Jimin laughing wildly on his back. Coach Choi was speechless as he cocked his head to the side, his swim team leaving him puzzled yet again.

************************

Jimin waited at their lockers for his servant to finish sorting out their things. The blond checked his phone to see a message from his best friend, ‘Don’t wait up, Mini! I’m checking out the drama club,’ Jimin smiled fondly at the winking emoji.

He texted back, ‘I’m sleeping over.’

Tae replied quickly, ‘Again? You must be homeless,’

Jimin rolled his eyes, chuckling silently as he told him to shut up and they sent clown emojis simultaneously. The blond put his phone away with a lingering smile and listened to the rain that still pounded on to the ground outside. He reached into his locker and took out an umbrella before closing it.

“You got an umbrella?” Jimin asked the brunet who was busy sifting through his own neatly organised locker.

Jungkook sighed before shaking his head. The blond tried not to look too pleased with his answer.

“I’ll guess you’ll have to stick pretty close to me.” He mentioned as he began to walk through the empty hallway and towards the double doors.

Jungkook pattered over to him with his adorable bunny smile, “I’m not complaining.”

The two of them seemed to have forgotten about the bus when it was supposed to be the most convenient. They walked shoulder to shoulder, arms pressed together as Jungkook held up their shared bright, yellow umbrella. They shone vibrantly amidst the cold dull grey atmosphere like a streak of light passing through a dense fog. They walked and walked, losing track of their journey as they laughed and chattered to the serene ambiance of cars passing, people running and the raindrops diving into concrete. They could hear nothing else but each other and they could see nothing else but each other. Despite how eye-catching they seemed; two young men sharing a bright yellow umbrella, they didn’t notice anyone else around them. The umbrella was their shield; their cheerful piece of sun that only shimmered for their own little galaxy.

“We should walk each other home more often.” Jungkook suggested as they stood at the colossal gates of his dad’s mansion.

Jimin barely spared his home a glance as Jungkook noticed how the blond only focused on him and not the riches behind him.

“Yes, we should.” Jimin agreed, looking up at him innocently through his long, dark lashes.

Jungkook hadn’t noticed that he was still standing under the umbrella until he stepped out and felt the rain wash over him, soaking him in reality and taking him away from their brief little world. Jimin smiled at him, his golden hair somehow still glittering with an ethereal magic that his yellow umbrella mysteriously shrouded.

“Bye, Jungkook.” He said softly, Jungkook almost couldn’t hear under the harshness of the rain.

“See you, Jimin.” The brunet replied, feeling as though his words were drowned out by the crashing of the water droplets surrounding them.

The blond seemed to hear him though, he beamed at him brighter than every star in the universe and left, disappearing into the rain with his yellow umbrella leaving a faint afterglow.

*************************

“I’m going to be here for a while.” Yoongi mentioned quietly. His eyebrows furrowed cutely as he tried to concentrate on the sheet music in front of him. Rain still continued to cascade from the sky, creating an incessant interruption for his ears.

Hoseok leaned his head against his shoulder and yawned, “I’ll wait.”

“I want you to go home.” Yoongi stated bluntly, his pen scratching across pages of musical notes.

The redhead peered up at him and stared long enough to grab his attention. He gazed into Yoongi’s dark, fatigue-ridden eyes. The black-haired boy simply watched his warm brown orbs, soften with understanding.

“Am I distracting you?” Hoseok asked.

Yoongi sighed, “Yes.”

Hoseok stood up abruptly only for Yoongi to grab his hand, “Don’t take it the wrong way-” he pleaded, looking up at him desperately.

The redhead merely smiled down at him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, holding him gently as he rested his chin on Yoongi’s head. Yoongi breathed out, leaning back into Hoseok’s support and relaxing into his warmth.

“It’s the first song you’ve composed all by yourself, you want to concentrate. You’re such a perfectionist, Yoongi.” Hoseok spoke softly, chuckling lightly into his dark hair as he timidly placed a feathery kiss atop his head. He felt Yoongi freeze up and held him even tighter, giggling quietly as he gently rocked him from side to side slightly.

“I understand.” Hoseok whispered before letting go.

Yoongi watched him grab his bag and head towards the door.

“You have an umbrella, right?” he asked with slight worry in his voice.

Hoseok nodded and smiled brightly, “Do you?” he questioned, already prepared to give his own.

Yoongi also nodded curtly, his eyes never leaving the redhead.

Hoseok’s eyes shone as he remembered something, “Don’t forget-”

“Your place, tomorrow at 12.” Yoongi muttered absentmindedly, still gazing at him.

Hoseok grinned before waving goodbye and leaving, unaware of the coldness he left in the dark, hidden music studio.

**************************

Taehyung skipped to his locker, his feet pattering along with the sound of the rain outside as he sorted out his things and took out his purple umbrella. He turned to see a certain redhead rounding the corner and his heart leaped at the sight of Hoseok’s smile shining brightly. They met halfway and began walking in the same direction towards the exit. Taehyung looked down to see Hoseok already had his green umbrella.

“How was the drama club?” Hoseok asked in his usual friendly tone.

Taehyung sighed, smiling though as he said “They’re...uh- intense, but in a good way. Extroverts can be pretty tiring.” He added a yawn.

Hoseok chuckled, “I must be exhausting for you then.”

They opened their umbrellas in unison as they stepped outside and began to walk through rain, shoulders bumping into each other every now and again.

Taehyung laughed lightly, “Not you, I don’t think anyone can get tired of you.”

Hoseok smiled, doubting him silently as he found himself trying not to overthink the reason why Yoongi told him to leave.

“Why do you think that?” the redhead questioned as they waited for the bus.

Taehyung looked at him through his soft dark eyes with such sincerity it almost threw him off guard. Hoseok noticed the way his eyes glittered beautifully, reflecting the raindrops that encased their umbrellas.

“You’re really fun to be around, Hoseok.” Taehyung replied with a box-shaped grin that made Hoseok blink in disbelief at how cute it was.

It was one of the rare moments where Hoseok was speechless. He stared out into the distance, still unsure of how to respond and sighing when a bus was in sight. It stopped in front of them and Taehyung gestured for Hoseok to get on.

“Ladies first.” Taehyung quipped childishly.

Hoseok quickly curtsied and retorted with, “Thank you, kind sir,” before getting on as Taehyung chuckled after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! I wanted to let you know that I intend for this to be a slowburn since there's going to be a lot to unravel and a lot more drama on the way. So, I hope you're in it for the long ride... Thank you for the comments, thank you for the kudos and as always thank you so much for reading!


	17. Wave 17

It was a calm, Saturday afternoon with the sun hesitantly hiding behind clouds and shining through some of the sky with a few golden streaks here and there. Taehyung was busy making funny faces at a blue-feathered bird that was perched on the tree by his window. It may have been minding its own business, tweeting shrill notes every now and again, only to pause and finally notice the strange creature that kept changing its face. Taehyung gasped, finally getting the bird’s attention, and sang a few notes of his own. His voice was filled with a smooth, deep bass before effortlessly letting out a flawless falsetto. The bird copied with adorable tweeting like it was simply a game of Simon says. The pair continued happily until an annoyed yell broke through their little interaction.

“I can’t find anything to wear!” Jimin complained loudly.

Taehyung frowned as the bluebird flew away in fright.

“Actually, you can’t find anything you want to wear.” Taehyung stated with a scowl.

“Well then, Snow White, come over and help me!”

Taehyung groaned and trudged over to his best friend before flopping on to his bed. Jimin frowned and clambered on to Taehyung’s bed. The dark-haired boy yelped as he was suddenly hit across the head with his pillow.

“Let me borrow your clothes,” Jimin asked with a demanding tone that made Taehyung kick him playfully, “Please!” the blond begged.

“Fine, just don’t touch my Gucci.” Tae mumbled.

Jimin was already raiding his best friend’s closet like it was his own, “Sorry, what was that? Just take your Gucci,” the blond jokingly took out one of his favourite designer sweaters, “I mean, if you say so-”

Taehyung’s foot was already booting Jimin’s ass before he could touch another item of clothing.

“OW!” Jimin yelled and flicked his forehead without another word.

Taehyung immediately fell to the ground and laid slumped against his huge closet.

Jimin ignored his antics completely and took out a denim jacket he liked, “What do you think?” he asked, looking down at his dramatic best friend.

Taehyung gave him an incredulous look, “What do you mean- what do I think? It’s my damn jacket!”

Jimin simply stuck his tongue out at him, “It’s mine now-”

Taehyung rolled his eyes and stood up as Jimin got ready to take another shower.

“We’re just going to a diner with the team, this isn’t some fashion week-” Taehyung finally took notice of Jimin continuously texting someone with a smile on his face, “or a date…You’re trying to impress Jungkook!” he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with epiphany.

Jimin’s eyes darted over to him, putting his phone away. “No, I’m not! Shut up, Tae!” Jimin barked, his blushing cheeks already giving him away.

Taehyung laughed almost maniacally as he ran away from the blond who had begun chasing him around his vintage-decorated bedroom. Something in his mind made him think to distract Jimin with music, turning on his record player that already had a vinyl inside. The room filled with a pop song all the way from the 70s. It somehow worked as Jimin was momentarily confused enough to be dragged along to a random dance. Their hands were clasped as they swung each other about, laughing loudly and jumping around like fools. After a few songs they threw themselves on to Tae’s violet-coloured bed sheets. They giggled into the silence as they stared up at the ceiling for a few moments until Tae finally spoke.

He grinned, “It’s been a week and you’re already whipped-”

Jimin grabbed a pillow and hit him without remorse, “I’ll whip your ass if you don’t shut up!”

**********************

Hoseok dashed through the living room and threw himself on to a white couch, hiding into the bright, multi-coloured cushions. He tensed at the sounds of footsteps thundering through the corridors and held his breath. Yoongi glared at the back of the couch, somehow knowing exactly where the redhead hid. He moved as silently as possible before clambering over the sofa and capturing him. Coral, gold and patterned cushions tumbled down to the white carpet below as Hoseok squirmed restlessly and shrieked playfully. Yoongi seemed deaf to his pleading as he attacked him with tickles, pinching and slapping him like an angry kitten. After a couple moments he decided to catch his breath, still holding Hoseok down by his wrists until he pointed one hand to his hair. The redhead couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“Hoseok, this isn’t dark brown.” He stated in a low, dangerous tone.

Hoseok used his free hand to cover his mouth and muffle his constant laughter. “I didn’t do it on purpose-”

Yoongi scowled before raising his voice, “No one coincidentally has green hair dye they don’t intend to use,” he held down Hoseok’s free hand, “AND NO ONE ACCIDENTALLY DYES SOMEONE’S HAIR MINT GREEN!”

“I swear it wasn’t not on purpose.” Hoseok spoke.

Yoongi’s grip loosened slightly as he paused and stared at him in confusion. The redhead took the opportunity to escape and tried to run away. Yoongi immediately yanked him down by his waist and he fell right back on to the sofa. Hoseok huffed as he sat up, cautiously moving to the furthest end of the L-shaped sofa. He tried to supress a smile at Yoongi’s mint-coloured hair that seemed to compliment his pale skin tone, he looked brighter in contrast to his previous dark and brooding look. He ended up smiling anyway; he liked it.

“I think it looks great on you.” Hoseok complimented truthfully.

Yoongi rolled his eyes, “We’re meeting the team soon,” he pointed to his hair again, “what am I supposed to do about this?”

Hoseok moved closer to him and grabbed on to his shoulders, “You don’t care about what anyone thinks of you, though,” Yoongi eventually nodded since it was partially true, “Now, repeat after me,” he raised an eyebrow at the redhead who merely grinned at him, “I am Min Yoongi and I’m going to rock this look.”

“I am Min Yoongi…” he repeated in a deadpan tone.

Hoseok nodded with a grin, “Yes! And you are going to…”

Yoongi glared at him, “Beat your ass-”

“NO!”

Hoseok was already to his bedroom, screaming whilst a mint haired Yoongi chased after him.

*************************

Seokjin narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he looked down at his swim team. The teens were sat around a light brown table, comfortably gathered on the turquoise diner seats with a white streak down the middle. Namjoon propped his elbows on the table and framed his face with hands, looking up at Seokjin with a forcibly cute expression. Jin merely raised an eyebrow, seemingly unaffected but he was internally swooning at the way his dimples deepened as he smiled.

“You brats do realise that I still haven’t finished my shift yet?” Jin crossed his arms over his chest and they all noticed how he really looked in his element, surrounded by rose pink and white walls, the tiles of the floor matched the same colours and so did he. His light-pink haired received a soft glowing aura from the warm, neon lights that laced the ceiling and his pink-collared shirt that read ‘Kim’s kitchen’ seemed to perfectly compliment the white apron tied around his waist.

Taehyung suddenly gasped, “Jin, you own a diner already?”

The rest of the table laughed and chuckled in response. Tae glanced over to the redhead with a smile.

Jin sighed, “Alright, we get it! Kim is a very common surname in Korea.” He quipped sarcastically.

The team still grinned up at him expectantly after letting out a few giggles here and there.

Jin propped a couple menus on his hip and stared down at them, “Why are you guys at my workplace, anyway?”

Namjoon shamelessly answered with, “Discounts-”

Jin abruptly hit his head with a menu making the table erupt into laughter again.

“Ow! I mean I missed you~” Namjoon said sweetly as rubbed his head.

Seokjin simply rolled his eyes at him and passed menus to the group. “You idiots better not cause any trouble. I’ll be done soon.” He ordered; his tone ever so motherly as he went behind the counter.

As the rest of the table chattered amongst one another, Jungkook was overly aware of Jimin’s thigh pressed against his. The blond propped his elbow on the table and rested his cheek on his hand. He looked down to see the brunet nervously bounce his other leg by the wall and smirked.

“Jungkook?” Jimin called his name, sounding impossibly sweet.

Jungkook sent a glance towards him, seemingly unable to look at him for too long.

Jimin raised an eyebrow at him, still smirking as he asked, “Am I making you nervous?”

The brunet sighed and suddenly made eye contact with him, “Of course you are. Have you looked at yourself?”

The blond’s cheeks blushed lightly, lost for words due to his boldness. He gave Jungkook a radiant smile that made the brunet feel a bit dizzy under the multi-coloured neon lights.

“Is that your way of saying he looks good?” Hoseok joked, red hair bouncing as he chuckled.

Yoongi chipped in with a sarcastic comment, “Very smooth, Jeon.”

Jungkook scoffed and pointed at them dramatically, “You both literally look like a strawberry.”

“Watch it-” Yoongi retorted, pointing back at him.

Namjoon chuckled at the both of them, “The green hair somehow suits you and I’m sure we can all agree.”

The rest of the table nodded in agreement as they broke into a series of compliments. Yoongi groaned, his cheeks reddening as he pulled the neck of his black sweater

“Shut up,” he looked over to Hoseok who beamed back at him, “Of course it suits me.” He added with a fond smile.

************************

Namjoon looked down at his Rolex and gave a relieved sigh when it was finally time for Jin’s shift to end. Not only had the team been waiting for Seokjin to finish working so they can eat together, Namjoon also really needed to ask him something. He stood up and left the group, he managed to slip past the counter after receiving a knowing nod from the owner. Namjoon assumed Jin would be in the staff changing rooms and was lucky enough to spot his pink head of hair as he disappeared through a door. He followed close behind his boyfriend who turned around, ready to close the door but not ready to see Namjoon right behind him.

Jin jumped, putting his hand over his heart, “AH! For fuck’s sake, Namjoon, how’d you even-”

“I need to ask you something.” He interrupted, his tone a bit more serious than usual as he rested his hands on Jin’s waist.

Jin sighed, “Can’t it wait?”

Namjoon pressed his forehead against Jin’s and replied in a low, rumbling tone that shook Jin’s insides, “You know how impatient I can be.”

Seokjin slapped his hands upon his boyfriend’s chest and laughed as he released himself from his hold. He walked to his locker, already assuming what he wanted to ask considering they were alone in a small secluded room with dim lighting. Namjoon watched him from a distance, leaning on a nearby locker as Jin undid his uniform shirt.

“You better not be thinking about what I think you’re thinking about.” Seokjin warned teasingly.

Namjoon chuckled before wrapping his arms around his waist from behind and resting his chin on his broad shoulder. He heard Jin let out a breathy sigh as his hand delved into the opening his undone buttons left, roaming across his torso and leaving tongues of fire sizzling across his skin. He whispered suggestively into his ear, “That means you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

Seokjin wondered why he stopped, gently touching Namjoon’s hand that had frozen in place against his heart. He was seemingly lost in the way it pounded so quickly and so feverishly. He smiled into Jin’s exposed shoulder, content with the effect he had on his boyfriend. Then he let go and allowed him to continue changing.

“But that wasn’t my intention when I walked in here.” Namjoon stated sincerely.

Jin tutted, “You’re such a tease.”

He took off his shirt, making sure Namjoon got a good look at his back and his well-defined torso. Namjoon ravished the sight, of course, until he quickly threw on an oversized, beige hoodie and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You seem disappointed.” Namjoon commented with a playful smile.

Jin rolled his eyes and mocked him, “You’re very perceptive, Mr Kim.”

His white-haired boyfriend moved closer to him and said smirkingly, “I’ll make it up to you tonight, Mr Kim.” He added a wink just to make Jin melt even more. The pink-haired young man tried his best to harden his expression, but his cheeks couldn’t help but match the colour of his locks.

Namjoon cleared his throat before speaking again, “So, there’s this ball-”

Seokjin immediately activated his stubbornness, “Ah yes, a fundraiser’s ball for a charity none of the people there care about.”

“Jinnie, seriously it’s important-”

“There are many things that are way more important than spending a night with stuck-up, pretentious, hypocrites guzzling down stupidly expensive wine and shit-talking everyone but themselves-”

“It’s important to me.” Namjoon declared in a serious tone that made Jin quit his complaining. “I want you to be there.”

Jin huffed but still wondered why this ball was any different, “Why?”

Namjoon breathed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought back to what his parents told him that morning.

“I need to show that I’m taken.”

Seokjin gave him a confused look, “To who? Your parents?”, he held both his hands and stared into his boyfriend’s deep chestnut eyes. “They already know we’re definitely more than friends.”

“They don’t believe this is a serious relationship, let alone respect our feelings.” He muttered; his face crestfallen as he gazed down at the dull, grey floor.

Jin simply felt shock at first until it became a genuine ache, “We’ve been together for five years.” He whispered as though assuring himself of that fact.

Namjoon tightened his hold, bringing Jin’s hands to his lips as he kissed them slowly and looked up at him. “We’re going to have to remind them, then.”

Seokjin nodded, his eyes determined as he gripped his hands tighter.

“Jinderella, will you go to the ball?” Namjoon asked with a jokey smile.

“Who else is going to show those bitches how to dress?”

***********************

The group all sat around the table, eating a multitude of American food and Korean food as they all joked around and conversed comfortably with each other. Jungkook noticed how Jimin laughed with his whole body, either falling against him or Taehyung as he subconsciously covered his beautiful smile with his hand. Whenever the blond leaned on him, he would feel a light wave of his pleasant perfume wash over him; a wonderful mixture of white lily flowers and honey laced with hints of vanilla. Jungkook found himself cracking more jokes than usual just to get him to laugh, anticipating when he’d fall against him. After some time passed, Jimin eventually decided to simply keep his head on Jungkook’s shoulder, blissfully unaware of the effect he had on him. The brunet tensed, staring into Jimin’s shiny, blond locks; there were like golden waves of sands that somehow glittered without the sun. Jungkook moved a tiny bit closer, just enough to feel his strands of blond hair lightly tickle his nose as he breathed in. The smell of his shampoo made him think of a whole field of flowers, wishing he could bathe in his fragrance.

“Jungkook, did you just sniff my hair?” Jimin asked matter-of-factly with a sly smile.

The rest of the table brought their attention to Jungkook who simply blushed and looked away nervously.

“I-uh- you smell nice.” Jungkook stammered, mentally face-palming as he made a fool out of himself.

Jimin smiled, “I’ll make sure to keep using this shampoo then.”

Yoongi made a gagging sound and everyone chuckled as Jungkook wished he could hide inside the wall next to him. Jimin watched the way his leg started bouncing again and he kept picking up his chopsticks only to pause and put them down again. The blond sensed his discomfort and chose to change the subject.

“So, Jin, you don’t own the place?” Jimin turned to Seokjin, feigning ignorance.

“Oh no I do; I own a huge chain of restaurants and I haven’t even graduated yet.” Seokjin responded sarcastically as he stuffed a piece of saucy, fried chicken into his mouth.

“Aren’t you really rich?” Jimin quipped, stealing a fry from Taehyung’s plate whilst he was distracted.

“I’m not the rich one, my parents are. It’s far more satisfying to work for the money you receive rather than just getting an insane allowance.” Seokjin spoke to the rest of the table, attempting to appear enlightened with sauce on his lips and a chicken leg in hand.

Namjoon nodded, taking a napkin and wiping his boyfriend’s mouth. “Seokjin’s right, having a job is a pretty enriching experience. I even used to work at this diner with him.” Namjoon mentioned, patting Seokjin’s cheek once he was done with the napkin.

Jin added, “But he kept breaking plates and got fired-”

The table laughed as Namjoon gave an embarrassed little chuckle, “So, I became a tutor instead and, for me, helping others learn feels way more rewarding than any check my father can give me.”

Yoongi scoffed playfully before nodding over to Namjoon’s watch, “Tell that to the ice on your wrist-”

“It was a gift!” Namjoon exclaimed defiantly.

Jungkook chuckled, “From your sugar daddy?”

The whole table burst into laughter once more and the brunet smiled triumphantly as Jimin fell against his arm again.

“No! Well…” Their team leader trailed off, casting a look towards his boyfriend who stayed quiet and sipped some water, knowing full well he bought that watch for Namjoon.

The team continued cracking each other up until Hoseok actually added on to what the couple were initially talking about.

“They’re right though, spending time working at a pet shop is so much fun! The animals are so cute I have to stop myself from taking them home every time.” Hoseok said with an adorable frown that made Yoongi’s eyes soften when he gazed at him. The redhead grinned at him, “Even Yoongi works at the local flower shop-”

“That’s my business-” Yoongi muttered.

Seokjin cooed, “That’s adorable!”

“You’re so cute, Yoongi!”, Jimin chipped in, unknowingly causing Jungkook to tighten his grip on his chopsticks and break them.

Jimin chuckled lightly, “You muscle pig-”, he handed him a spare pair of chopsticks. The brunet laughed nervously thanked him, realising how he always seemed to have the blond’s attention.

Jungkook couldn’t help but feel like the odd one out as the rest of the team talked about their current and previous jobs whilst he hadn’t worked a day in his life. Jimin and Taehyung mentioned how they used to work at a local cinema back in their old town, they’d sneak into films and eat leftover cinema food without a care in the world. Jungkook sighed, thinking about how his father preferred for him to just focus on his swimming career. He didn’t have to work, Jungkook looked around at his friends and realised that they didn’t have to work either.

“Am I seriously the only one here living up to the spoiled rich kid stereotype?” Jungkook questioned with an incredulous and somewhat embarrassed tone.

Yoongi sipped on his chocolate milkshake as he muttered a response, “Well, not intentionally…”

Hoseok simply nudged his side and he immediately quietened.

“I mean, working isn’t for everyone, it’s a matter of independence.” Hoseok stated frankly.

Jungkook nodded slowly, wondering if his fellow team mates really thought he wasn’t independent enough to just have a part-time job. He thought to himself, he can make his own choices, right?

Taehyung showed a pretty good example of boldly taking an opportunity and asked, “Seokjin, I really want to work here. I like the colours and I want free hamburgers. So, can you please put in a good word for me with the owner.” He batted his eyelashes at him with a classic puppy-dog look.

Seokjin was a bit thrown off by how honest his words were before somehow feeling convinced enough and nodding, “Sure, luckily we’ve got one last opening.”

Taehyung flashed him a grin, “Thank you!”, he took a bite out of his hamburger and received fond smiles from the rest of his team members. How could anyone even say no to him?

************************

Jungkook’s head burst out from the pool, staring out into his huge backyard as he held on to the edge and rested his head. Thoughts drifted carelessly into his mind like the listless wisps of clouds in the lavender and rose colours of the sky above him. It was a rather cold evening, every now and again he would feel the chilly autumn wind run over his already soaked skin. His mother had already warned Jungkook to get out of the pool whilst his father insisted that he was building endurance, an important skill. She noticed her son simply shake his head and continue swimming. So, she left it at that.

The brunet climbed up and sat himself on the edge of the pool, swinging his legs lackadaisically though the water. He remembered how the water in this pool once clung to him and quickly shook those thoughts out of his head. He brought Jimin to his mind instead, thinking back to the way he had to gently coax him into the pool after his incident. His voice was softer than any cloud in existence, his glimmering golden-brown eyes always seemed to leave him in a trance and his flawlessly ethereal image, half submerged into the school swimming spool. How could Jungkook not follow him into any waters? The blond would start by easing him into the pool with his hands delicately passing over his forearms and then his words that Jungkook could never forget. ‘Show me how much you love swimming,’ seemed to always spark a flame within him and ‘You’re doing great,’ would always manage to tame this fire.

Jungkook hearing Jimin’s kind voice filled his ears from the back of his mind, telling him to rest and that he’s swam enough for the day. His body shivered against the cool breeze that roamed through his backyard. He decided to get out of the pool and head inside to take a nice warm bath.

************************

After doing some studying that he felt oddly motivated to do. Jungkook picked up his phone from his desk, wheeling over his chair to the window with his legs as he watched the evening turn to night. Shades of purple and pink deepened, becoming darker hues of blue coalesced with hints of murky black, the mass array of twinkling stars filled the brunet with a type of joy he simply couldn’t describe, just like a certain person he was preparing himself to call.

He gasped as his phone buzzed in his hand, the screen flashing with the name ‘Mochi’. The universe must’ve been playing tricks on him. He failed to calm his rapidly beating heart as he swiped his thumb across his screen and answered.

“Hello?” Jungkook said with a hint of uncertainty that made Jimin raise an eyebrow.

“Hey, Kookie. I just wanted to check on you and see how you’re doing.” Jimin spoke sweetly.

“Thanks, I’m doing alright. How about you?” Jungkook replied with a fond smile.

“I’m feeling much better after hearing your voice.” Jimin said in a smooth voice.

Jungkook chuckled nervously, a blush heating up his cheeks as he said “That’s my line-”

Jimin giggled, “I didn’t hear you say it.”

Jungkook sighed defeatedly, though smiling at the sound of his melodious laughter. He thought about asking how Jimin felt prior to their phone call, only to start wondering whether he was close enough to ask that. He’s only known him for a week, he sighed again almost inaudibly but Jimin still heard.

“I’m fine, Jungkook.” Jimin assured with a forced smile in his voice that Jungkook couldn’t see but could somehow hear.

The brunet didn’t want to press him for answers he hadn’t earned yet. Maybe he needed a distraction instead.

“I was actually about to call you. I wanted to ask if you were planning on getting a part-time job anywhere.” Jungkook asked.

“I’ll get really bored if I don’t, so I was planning to work, yes. Are you?”

Jungkook nodded like an idiot before realising he couldn’t see him, “Yes.”

“You know where you want to work yet?”

“I was thinking of asking you that first, actually.” Jungkook stated, trying to hide the fact that he had no idea where he wanted to work. He just wanted to do something he didn’t feel he had to and doing so with Jimin felt like the most appealing option.

Jimin paused momentarily, thinking about his answer before responding with, “That café you took me to was really nice. I wouldn’t mind working there.”

Jungkook let out a nervous laugh, “What a coincidence! Me too!”

Jimin thought he sounded a bit off but decided to let him be.

“I guess we’ll do this together then.” Jimin said, beaming genuinely.

Jungkook stared out at his open window, watching the moon glimmer in its silver radiance and imagining Jimin’s smile shining even brighter.

“Thanks, Mochi.”


	18. Wave 18

A few weeks passed by, throughout which they not only swam but helped each other. Although it seemed as though it was mainly Jimin doing the helping, it seemed to provide a good enough distraction for him as he focused on Jungkook rather than his own problems. He looked forward to walking each other home after school and practice as Taehyung spent more and more time with Hoseok. Jimin found himself enjoying every second he got to spend with Jungkook, helping him by going through fake job interviews and improving his CV.

After a few days of preparation, they had already dealt with their real job interviews and the café happily welcomed them with open arms the next day. Jimin loved the way Jungkook’s eyes sparkled with joy when they received their dark green aprons and got to work for the first time. They noticed how they had almost every single shift together, thankful for the café owner’s perceptiveness as she decided that they got the job together, so they’d work together. They were a pretty good duo and managed to do their tasks pretty well. The owner wasn’t blind either, she noticed their outstandingly good looks and knew they’d be getting many more female customers now.

“Hi, welcome to Déjà Brew! what would you like to order?” Jungkook greeted a customer at the till with an award-winning smile.

The customer stood there dumbstruck for a split second before regaining her senses. She told the group of giggling girls behind her, who were presumably her friends, to stop laughing.

“I’ve never been to this café before,” She said with a sweet look on her face as she tucked a strand of her long, black hair behind her ear, she peered into Jungkook’s cute doe eyes before looking at the menus above him, “I don’t know what looks good here…” her tone became shy before turning seductive as she looked at Jungkook’s face and boldly added, “apart from you of course.”

Her friends burst into fits of laughter as she stared at him shamelessly. They all spoke in disarrayed unison.

“Did she just-”

“Oh my-”

“Oooh~”

Jungkook gave a nervous chuckle, unsure of how to deal with a flirting customer so he turned around to see that Jimin had spilled some of the latte he was making. He sighed in relief asking a fellow employee to take over as he went over to Jimin’s side of the counter and helped him clean the small mess he had made.

“You’re usually not this clumsy when making coffee.” Jungkook mentioned, his voice low as he tried to make eye contact with Jimin. His golden-brown eyes seemed to be avoiding his though.

Jimin laughed lightly, “Jungkook, I’m not perfect.”

The brunet stared at him with pure adoration in his doe eyes, “You look perfect though.” He remarked smoothly.

The blond blushed immediately, whining about his random flirting as he wacked his chest with a dishcloth. Jungkook laughed at how cute was being, completely oblivious to the line of girls that waited for him to take their order. He decided to stick to making coffee in the back with Jimin, considering how his introverted tendencies seemed to try to take over when he was at the till. They flirted quietly and joked loudly, occasionally being silenced by a mere glance from their boss who zoomed everywhere, her ponytail swishing and her short stature making her speed seem somewhat comical.

They finally reached the least busy hours of the day; the café only had a few customers sipping drinks and reading books here and there. The duo could have just taken a break but Jungkook was dead set on learning how to improve his coffee making skills. Jimin watched him, leaning against the marble counter as they talked idly.

Jungkook gave him a goofy grin, “I’ve got it!”

Jimin smirked, “It better blow me away.”

“Déjà Brew, the coffee that keeps you coming back for more…”

The blond leaned forward expectantly.

“Because you forget you’ve already bean-”

The two collapsed into fits of laughter, Jimin somehow managed to fall against his arm again and Jungkook almost forgot about the cup of coffee he was currently making. He peered into the dark, murky liquid and frowned at how bitter it smelled. Jimin wondered how his look of disgust seemed adorable. Jungkook raised the coffee cup to his mouth, holding back a grimace only for Jimin’s fingers to gently move his hands and bring the cup to his own lips instead. The brunet gulped at the sight of Jimin’s plump, pink lips closing around the rim of the ceramic cup as he sipped.

The blond suddenly recoiled at the taste and Jungkook watched him in shock. Was it really that awful?

Jimin narrowed his eyes at the cup like a suspicious feline, “Jungkook, how do you make coffee taste so bad?”, he blinked as though his taste buds were delayed, “Is that salt?”

Jungkook groaned at his silly mistake, “In my defence, sugar and salt can look pretty similar.”

Jimin sniffed the coffee, “Mint?” he questioned incredulously.

The brunet peered at the mint leaf in the cup that he had randomly thrown in, “I wanted to-uh- give it an extra kick-”

The blond raised an eyebrow at him and poured the abomination down the sink without another word. Jungkook groaned, scratching the back of his neck with an embarrassed expression.

“How about making something that you’re actually willing to taste?” Jimin suggested grabbing a clean cup.

Jungkook nodded, watching the blond barista intently, trying to focus on the drink he was making rather than the way his long-sleeved, white collared shirt hugged his slim physique. His lips pursed cutely as he pressed one of the machines that released a shot of espresso into the cup, he added a spoon of chocolate powder and mixed. Jimin then passed the cup to Jungkook and looked at him expectantly. He nodded in realisation and pressed the machine for steamed milk to pour into the cup. He watched the vapours escape into the air, waiting for Jimin to tell him when to stop.

“Stop.” Jimin mumbled and Jungkook removed his hand immediately.

He pointed at another device and Jungkook followed his wordless instructions. Pressing another button yet again as soft foam flowed into the coffee. He waited for the blond to speak but was surprised to feel his fingers move his hand away from the button instead once there was about 2 or 3 centimetres of foam. Jungkook bit his lips, attempting to hold back a smile.

“Now, just sprinkle some chocolate powder.” Jimin ordered softly.

Jungkook reached for the shaker the blond handed to him and sprinkled the chocolate powder on the white foam. He grinned at the cup of coffee and looked at Jimin with his adorable bunny smile. For a split second, the blond forgot he was standing on solid ground.

“Thank you, Jimin.”

Jimin simply beamed back at him as they stared at each other. They both knew full well that he didn’t just mean the coffee.

“You’re welcome.”

Jungkook sipped the drink, the bitterness of the espresso was perfectly disguised by the chocolate powder. He smiled into his cup, thinking about how Jimin had made sure to give him the sweetest coffee he could think of.

***********************

Jimin fitted his key into the lock and slowly opened the door as though he was afraid of what was on the other side, yet a part of him wanted to see it. He felt the air get jammed in his throat as the white lights blazed when he entered. They blinded him with so much intensity he had to blink rapidly only to realise the bulbs weren’t that bright. He grew accustomed to them as they shined only for him- like spotlights. Jimin simply walked across the wooden floorboards; it felt as though he was somewhat gliding on warm ice, melting his way to the middle of the dance studio. He stood there, feeling small and lost like he was on a deserted island, surrounded by a huge stretch of space that encompassed him. Jimin could move about as freely as he wanted. There was nothing stopping him but the safe confines of the white walls and masses of mirrors that lined across him.

The blond sifted through his sports bag, connected his phone to his speaker and left them both by a mirror. He slipped off his jeans, revealing his black tights that caressed his legs like a second skin, the material curving and smoothing over his physique. He gingerly took out his worn-out ballet slippers, holding them delicately to his chest as though he could still feel the warmth of the hands that once tied the ribbons to his ankles. Jimin stood in front of the mirror, watching the way the satin ribbons wrapped around his ankles like vines rooting him to floor of the dance studio, his black tights ran up his legs as though it was trying to take over his whole body. He decided to leave his baggy, white t-shirt on. The blond stared at his reflection, taking in how alone he was. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and his heart falling as he realised something. Her scent is gone.

Jimin held on to the rows of bars, gripping on to the wood as though he was on a ledge, teetering on the edge and ready to fall. Then he looked down to see the screen on his phone light up. He picked it up and smiled when he saw the name ‘Kookie’.

‘You better rest up, Jiminie.’

Jimin sighed as he recalled how he lied about feeling sick to leave practice early.

‘I will, Jungkookie,’ he responded, still smiling.

‘I hope you get well soon.’

Guilt pricked at his chest like unforgiving spines as he typed the words, ‘Thank you.’

He placed the phone down after pressing play on a song. His heart jumped as the sound took over the vast, empty space he stood in. Jimin breathed deeply, calming himself down easily when he thought about his rising feelings for a certain doe-eyed, brunet. Then he danced. His body didn’t follow any type of choreography, he danced to the sequence he felt in his heart. He thought of the way Jungkook made him feel as though he could escape and fly free like a bird darting through the skies. He leaped through the air. A bird starved of freedom and searching for its meaning. He spun almost endlessly, pirouette after pirouette, as though he was stuck in place. Its tiny body was darting through masses of clouds. His arms reached out for someone that wasn’t there, waving through the air like the feathered wings of a graceful swan. The music grew intense, notes slashing around him as the sounds of the orchestra swelled like the lungs of a beast ready to unleash a massive breath of fire. He flew through the air, higher than he ever could’ve imagined. Then the instruments began to wail and shriek beautifully, a chaotic symphony crying out for help. He flung himself to the ground like a bird struck by lightning. Rolling over and looking up at the bright ceiling. Then he smiled, loving the way his muscles ached and his chest burned. He danced longer and longer losing himself as he did everything, he could imagine to his body along with the music.

Jimin didn’t notice a certain song drift peacefully through his speakers, merging itself into his limbs as he began to perfectly execute a sequence, he didn’t think he remembered. He floated around the room like a mere feather in the slight breeze. There was a certain innocence about the beginning of this song, the soft notes of the piano waft through the air like the pink petals of cherry blossoms. He danced with a blissful expression, following steps that had been ingrained into his mind like the imprints of a scorching branding iron. Then the percussions crashed and as though the mirror itself had cracked, Jimin looked at his reflection in shock. He was still dancing. This song wasn’t his- he had to stop. His body still moved, ghosting her moves like it was his along. The world around him began morph into her own as the floor became the stage- her stage. He threw himself into the music, scaring a part of him as he did it without hesitation. Jimin’s heart felt as though it was punctured by every scream that came from the violin, the rumblings of the cello and double bass seemed to shake the very floor beneath him. The music rose and rose, and so did he, every move more and more elevated and advanced than the other. Then he came at a dead end. His body moved but his heart stopped.

Jimin heard her voice glide into his mind.

“I’ll have to teach you this part. Don’t try and do it by yourself.”

His hair flew past his eyes in a golden blur, whizzing around him. He wondered if she would ever teach him again. He wondered if he would ever see her again.

Jimin remembered her reflection, one leg spinning like she couldn’t stop and the other passing behind her body. He mirrored everything he saw but froze when he remembered the way she moved. There wasn’t a single trace of hesitation in her body, she spun and spun, her foot flattening and twisting again and again. He watched until her reflection disappeared with the song.

The boy sat on the floor, a single tear streaming down his cheek. He couldn’t even finish the song. He had stopped whist she had kept dancing. Jimin curled up into a ball, wanting to hide away yet there was no one around him. He didn’t deserve the key to her world.

************************

After losing his concept of time he wandered over to his phone, packing away his speakers before cursing out loud when he saw his screen. It was almost 9pm and his screen was covered in 11 missed calls from his mother and 9 missed calls from his dad. He sighed, berating himself for leaving his phone on silent. He nearly dropped it when it lit up in his hands. His chest tightened; it was his mother.

Jimin could only let a “He-”, before he was cut off by her yelling.

“Jimin, do you have any idea what time it is?”

He winced at the way her shriek pierced his ear as he sat down on the floor and began taking off his ballet slippers.

“Sorry-”

“Where are you?” She asked, lowering her voice slightly but her tone was still filled with worry and anger.

Jimin gripped on to the satin ribbon and bit down on his lower lip, stopping himself from uttering anything close to the truth.

“I’m on my way home.” He answered quietly.

“You didn’t give me a location, Jimin.” She stated sternly, her voice as cut-throat sharp as ever.

“I was at practice.”

“Don’t you think I’ve already called your coach? He said you left early because you weren’t feeling well. Were you lying about that too?”

Jimin’s heart fell further into an abyss with every word.

“I lost track of time.”

“Doing what?” his mother yelled exasperatedly.

He put his phone on speaker, hating the way her voice took over the room as he gently packed away his ballet slippers. Jimin thought about how his best friend would always back him up but before he could even say anything his mother caught on.

“You better not lie about being with Taehyung either. I’ve called his parents. He didn’t leave practice early and he’s at home right now just like how you should be.”

A certain name suddenly slipped off his tongue, “Jungkook.”

His mother paused, “What?”

“I was swimming with Jungkook.” Jimin answered curtly.

He put on his jeans, slipped on his shoes, and threw his bag over his shoulder before quickly running over to the door with his phone in hand. He sent a glance to the empty dance studio, watching the way the lights died out when he left the room and closed the door behind him. Jimin locked the door, wondering if he’d even be able to use that key again.

“I’ll be calling the Jeon’s then.”

Jimin felt ice crawling into his insides as he raced out of the building.

He panted before speaking into the phone, “Yes, mother.”

“Don’t ever do this again.” She warned.

“Yes, mother.” He repeated mechanically.

His eyes seemed soulless as she hung up the phone and he shut the door of his car. Jimin texted Jungkook, doubting if he’d even see his message in time.

‘Please cover for me.’

************************

Jungkook strolled into the kitchen, his body relaxed but his muscles burned as he dried his hair with a towel around his neck. Then opened the double doors of the huge, gleaming silver fridge and took out a bottle of water. He drank the chilled, refreshingly cool water and let out a satisfied ‘Ah!’ once he finished. A smile reached his face when he thought of the indirect kiss he had shared with a certain blond and almost skipped out of the kitchen only to hear voices coming from the living room.

“No, we just got home-”

It was his mother’s soft tone which was accompanied by his father’s deep voice.

“Her son came over?” He asked.

“Well, that’s what he told her.” His mother replied.

Jungkook nearly left the kitchen and wandered into the living room without being noticed, hoping they wouldn’t see him going up the stairs. Unfortunately, they turned around right in time to see him halfway up the staircase.

“Jungkook!” His father boomed, making him jump slightly.

He quickly pattered down the steps and greeted his parents.

His father lovingly ruffled his damp, chlorine-scented hair and smiled proudly before questioning the boy.

“Did Jimin come over whilst we were out?”

Jungkook expertly hid his confusion from his father through an unreadable expression. He may not have understood why he would ask that, but his response seemed to be as instinctual as a reflex.

“Yeah, you just missed him actually. I invited him over to practise and we really lost track of time.” He added a chuckle that held a hint of nervousness.

His father nodded, seemingly buying it completely as he patted his son’s shoulder and said the words, “I’m glad you’re working hard, good job.”

Jungkook beamed at him, his chest light despite the gripping weight on his shoulder as he recorded his father’s words in his mind, constantly reassuring himself that it was real, that he wasn’t failing him.

“Jungkook, I’ve told you to stop swimming so late!”

The boy was almost deaf to his mother’s scolding of them both as he took in his father’s flash of a prideful grin. Jungkook muttered a meaningless apology to his mother. She sighed, returning to her phone call.

“He said they were practising together,” his mother paused, listening before smiling into the phone, “It’s fine, Jimin is welcome here any time,” Jungkook felt his heart swell when he heard this. She turned to her husband, “Isn’t that right, honey?”

Jungkook’s father chuckled with a friendly smile, “Of course! This little rivalry is good fuel for them-”

His wife rolled her eyes before leaving him mid-sentence and continuing her phone call in a different parlour. He looked at his son and Jungkook watched the way his eyes blazed with competitive spirit; a wildfire that he found himself almost too afraid to go near.

***********************

‘Please cover for me.’

Jungkook finally fit the pieces together after he saw Jimin’s text. He felt a needle prick into his chest when he realised Jimin had lied to him. Sure, it had been weeks since they had met, but considering how much he’s helped Jungkook in such a short amount of time, the brunet couldn’t stop himself from already preparing a special place for Jimin in his heart. He wondered if it wasn’t the same case for Jimin though, regardless of all the vulnerability Jungkook has shown him, the blond never seemed to break away from his mask of perfection. He sighed, shuffling in his bedsheets, and turning to his side to peer at the sombre, dull grey moon through his window. Jungkook felt this overwhelming need to make a discovery. He wanted to find the real Jimin that was hidden from sight within walls that only held a few cracks. Through these holes he could only catch glimpses of him every now and again through their giddy late-night conversations and peaceful walks home. Jungkook eventually came to terms with how he couldn’t be satisfied with mere glimpses anymore and built up enough courage, ready to break through a cement wall.

He called Jimin only for it to go to voicemail.

Jungkook felt himself sink into his mattress as though it was about to swallow him whole. Maybe he really was overestimating what he thought was their growing bond.


	19. Wave 19

Jimin watched the way Jungkook’s leg bounced under the table, hesitating to place his hand on his knee before deciding against it. He picked at the rest of his lunch, no longer finding the cold noodles appetising as he noticed how quiet the brunet was being. Jimin thought back to how he had sent him a “Thank you” that was left unread. He really didn’t want to bring up why he lied, let alone the fact that he lied to him. The rest of the team joked and chatted together as usual, they were a unit with their matching jackets, a blue beacon right in the middle of the lunch hall. Jimin felt his shoulders tense slightly as he realised, he was the only one not wearing the team jacket.

The blond turned to Jungkook to see his doe eyes staring back at him. He couldn’t stop himself from winking as he caught him red handed, the brunet blushed slightly as he looked away. Jimin smirked at how shy he could be, loving how he could see this side of him rather than the domineering alpha-male he tried to be when they first met.

“Are you done?” Jungkook asked bluntly.

Jimin immediately lit up at the sound of his voice, he looked down at his plate then back at the brunet with a content little smile, “Yeah.”

Jungkook gently took a hold of his wrist and they stood up together.

“You’re not allowed to swim at lunch, Jungkook.” Jimin warned.

Jungkook tugged him along, “This isn’t about swimming.”

The blond grew confused at his answer and slightly surprised. They rushed their goodbyes to their team before heading out of the canteen hand in hand.

Jimin chose to say nothing as Jungkook wordlessly led him through the school, they sped through multiple corridors and climbed up a countless number of stairs before they reached their destination. Jungkook swung open the door to the rooftop, it gave a welcoming creak as the pair stepped through. The chilly breeze immediately crashed into Jimin’s warm, soft skin, the dried leaves floated here and there like the orange, yellow and red butterflies of autumn. He subconsciously squeezed Jungkook’s hand tenderly. They stood close to the barrier, silently watching the gentle rays of the afternoon sun lazily glaze over the tranquil cerulean skies and flow through foamy white clouds.

“The view is pretty.” Jimin muttered quietly.

Jungkook gazed at the way the soft orangey light danced across Jimin’s skin, his golden-brown eyes sparkling as he looked out at the world with an ethereal smile that simply put the sun to shame.

“Yes, it is.” He agreed, his eyes never leaving Jimin’s face.

“I don’t think we’re allowed up here though.”

“We’re not.” Jungkook stated, smiling fondly as Jimin let out a chuckle.

The blond shuffled closer to him, closing the small distance between them as his arm pressed against Jungkook’s. The brunet’s heart banged desperately against his chest, begging for a defibrillator when he registered the way Jimin’s thumb was stroking his knuckles again. He had to try his hardest to remember why he took him up there in the first place.

“I’m sorry I lied to you.”

Jungkook blinked in surprise, he didn’t think Jimin would bring it up himself let alone apologise immediately. He looked down at their hands within each other’s hold and wondered if the blond had said sorry for the reasons he hoped for.

“I was…homesick.” Jimin mentioned with a sigh. He had told the truth but not all of it.

Jungkook perked up at the fact that he was beginning to open up to him, giving him all his attention as Jimin noticed the way his warm doe eyes twinkled beautifully.

“You visited your old town?” Jungkook asked.

“Yeah,” Jimin chuckled quietly, “it took a pretty long time to get there and back,” he looked out at the view, aware of how he was telling the truth but still not being completely honest. “My mother was pretty upset.”

Jungkook nodded in understanding, “You could’ve told me you felt homesick.”

Jimin gave him a guilty smile, “I just…felt pretty silly about it.”

“You can tell me anything, Jimin, I’ll always listen.” Jungkook assured, his tone almost pleading.

Jimin paused, staring at him silently as though he was trying to figure out his motivations then he nodded slowly and even blushed at how much Jungkook cared.

“I’m sorry I missed your call by the way. I was driving at the time.” Jimin confessed, hoping that Jungkook didn’t overthink it.

He chuckled, berating himself silently for thinking too much, “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Jimin smirked playfully, nudging Jungkook’s shoulder slightly as he pressed into his arm. “You should know I really like talking to you.” He said sweetly.

Jungkook tried turning away to hide his blushing face, but his eyes couldn’t tear themselves away from Jimin. He watched the way his golden-brown eyes revealed a passing glint of mischief, all too aware of how the blond was ready to play their little game again. Jungkook nearly had to brace himself when he felt Jimin let go of his hand and move closer to the barrier that stopped him falling as he leaned his arms upon the bars.

“Hearing your voice,” Jimin muttered, sending him a sultry glance as he smoothly added, “it does something to me, Jungkook.”

The brunet tried his best not to look fazed, but his reddening cheeks gave him away immediately. Nevertheless, he took a few steps closer to Jimin.

“What exactly does it do to you?” He replied in a low tone that made the blond quickly look at the sunset so he wouldn’t see the effect that the slight roughness in his voice had on him.

Jimin slightly leaned even more forward with a subtle swing in his hips as he casually gave Jungkook a much better view than the sky could ever offer. The brunet cursed silently as his eyes trailed down the slight arch of his back all the way to his-

Jimin suddenly turned around, leaning back against the barrier with both arms resting on top. He winked, loving the flash of dismay that passed across Jungkook’s expression.

“Keep on talking and you’ll find out.”

As soon as he finished his sentence, Jungkook had already trapped him on either side yet again. He moved forward even more until the tips of their noses were inches away from an eskimo-kiss. Jimin felt a shiver run through him, not just from the breeze, but also from the way Jungkook’s doe eyes went from impossibly cute to dangerously ravenous in a matter of seconds. It was the brunet’s turn to smirk triumphantly, yet he was unaware of Jimin slyly switching tactics. The blond looked up at him through his long lashes, his perfectly plump lips were parted ever so slightly, just enough to make the brunet want to steal a kiss but not enough to make him think Jimin wanted him to. Jungkook’s smirk fell, he was stuck again. Jimin’s gaze was overwhelmingly alluring as he waited expectantly. Jungkook felt his chest fill with a deafening, fast-paced drumming.

Then he noticed the chilling wind whip across Jimin’s skin, registering how his black V-neck sweater wasn’t as thick as it should be for the weather that day. He turned Jimin around, completely cutting the tension and making the blond pout disappointedly. Jungkook took off his swim jacket and placed it around Jimin’s shoulders. The blond froze despite the wave of warmth he felt, snuggled up inside the soft, comfortable material of Jungkook’s jacket. The brunet chuckled quietly, grinning fondly at Jimin in his jacket; it definitely wasn’t his size, but somehow it fit perfectly. Before the blond could turn around to thank him, Jungkook had already engulfed him in his pleasantly warm embrace. Jimin fitted into his hold like one jigsaw piece connecting to another and it felt special, like they were a puzzle that only needed two pieces.

“Thank you.” Jimin uttered softly, leaning back into his chest.

“No, problem.” Jungkook whispered against his blond hair.

They stood there, one encased within the other as they found comfort in each other’s tenderness.

“If you ever feel homesick again,” Jungkook spoke quietly as Jimin closed his eyes, “You should remember that we’re your home too.”

Jimin shuffled around to face him, still enveloped in his arms, and not planning to escape any time soon. He gazed up at him with a grateful smile and his golden-brown eyes full of sincerity. Jungkook blushed at how captivating his smile was before deciding to explain further.

“We’re all your home, Taehyung, Hoseok, Namjoon, Yoongi and Jin-”

“And you?” Jimin grinned.

Jungkook nodded so quickly Jimin thought his head would fall off. “Of course!” He declared, no longer whispering, “I am.”

“You are?” Jimin chuckled, “What makes you so sure?”

He squeezed the blond slightly, making him let out a giggle, “Just you wait, Jimin. I’ll have you running into my arms in no time.” He stated with a confident smirk.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Jimin snuggled even closer into his hold, “I like it in here.” He muttered softly, his lips moving against his chest with every syllable.

Jungkook’s heart did a dive before rocketing up again, he felt his insides raving with joy as he beamed in the afternoon glow.

“You should wear your swim jacket. Coach got your name on it and everything.” Jungkook suggested, wondering why he didn’t wear it in the first place.

Jimin sighed quietly, looking up at Jungkook with a certain emotion in his eyes that the brunet couldn’t read. Then he gave him such a stunning smile that Jungkook wondered if the stars were even going to bother coming out that night. His eyes formed the adorable, little crescent shapes that Jungkook looked forward to seeing every day.

“I like yours better.”

*************************

Namjoon and Seokjin stood behind the golden railings of the balcony that were intricately designed from beginning to end, trailing from the walls and down the grand staircases. Seokjin looked down the winding staircases that mirrored each other like twin snakes leading down to the floor of the magnificent ballroom. Despite being filled with countless numbers of people the space somehow still looked vast and extravagant. The room was encircled with way too many archways and massive pillars as though the centre was their own little bubble that no person of a lower class could ever hope to penetrate. Seokjin looked up to see a painted blue sky covered in fluffy clouds and ethereal angels with golden instruments in hand, he smirked; these people were convinced that they were so high on the social ladder they’ve practically reached the heavens. The dazzling lights bouncing off of the never-ending number of chandeliers momentarily stung his eyes as he took note of how everything in the room held an air of luxury and opulence; everything seemed gold. Seokjin backed into a more secluded corner of the balcony and Namjoon followed instinctively. Jin tried to drown out the sound of the orchestra playing as he spoke.

“How do I look?” Seokjin asked as he straightened the lapels of his light pink blazer.

Namjoon took his time to take in how breath-taking he looked in his designer suit, his light pink trousers hugged his long legs perfectly, he had to stop himself from grasping his slender waist as his eyes lingered on how his crisp white shirt was anything but loose-fitting. Seokjin looked away as he realised that Namjoon had taken notice of how many buttons he had left undone, creating an inviting V-shape that almost exposed his collarbone.

His boyfriend coughed before finally answering, “You look good.”

Seokjin rolled his eyes and propped his hands on his hips, “Is that it? I always look good.”

“You look amazing-” Namjoon started before noticing how Seokjin’s eyes kept flitting over to the spectacle below, “You look expensive.”

Jin seemed satisfied with his answer, “Good. Hopefully expensive enough to shut them up.” He muttered with a hint of spite.

Namjoon chuckled before receiving a brief but sweet peck on the lips, he smiled fondly as he tasted a small trace of strawberry.

“I thought you didn’t like the strawberry one.” Namjoon commented as they began to walk across the balcony as close as possible, knowing not to link arms.

Seokjin sighed as Namjoon watched the way his lips glistened when he spoke, “You should know by now that I choose my lip-gloss with you in mind.”

Namjoon couldn’t stop himself from discreetly wrapping an arm around his waist as they walked down the wide staircase.

“Really? I’m honoured.” He responded playfully.

Seokjin nudged his side, “You should be.”

The couple finally got caught up in the groups of people parading around their luxury suits making the men look almost completely the same whilst the women dressed like peacocks vying for the attention of everyone’s eyes. Seokjin had to bite his tongue whenever he noticed lingering stares of disapproval accompanied with perplexed glances. Their eyes were like weights trying to crush him and their loud whispers were like throwing knives that constantly headed for him. He was so focused on them that at one point he thought the orchestra had stopped playing. Seokjin pressed himself closer to his boyfriend, he could bet his ears were already turning red, as much as he pretended to love all the attention, the only pair of eyes he wanted on him belonged to Namjoon.

Then he heard him whisper into his ear, “Why wouldn’t they stare? You’re the most gorgeous person here.”

Seokjin gave him a small smile, “And pink isn’t hard to miss.”

“Who would want to miss getting a glimpse of you?” Namjoon smirked, giving his waist a slight squeeze before they headed to his parents.

Namjoon would usually meet his parents with a hug but chose to give them a mere hello, seemingly not in the mood to do so. However, Seokjin was as respectful as possible when he greeted them.

“Good evening, Seokjin, I see you could make it to a ball for once.” His father stated in a blunt manner.

It was clear where Namjoon got his tall height from as his father seemed to loom over them despite the mere few inches in difference. Seokjin didn’t expect much of a change in his appearance considering it had only been a month since he’d last saw Namjoon’s parents. His brown hair was gelled, and his beard immaculately cut, he was more slender than stocky in a simple black suit and vest that somehow screamed an insane amount of money. Those dark eyes were still piercing but not as cold as they used to be.

“I came for the food.” Seokjin declared in the same manner, feeling accomplished as he watched Namjoon’s father fail at stifling a chuckle.

Seokjin gave a small but fond smile towards Namjoon’s mother, almost hesitant as she smiled back at him with her crimson lips. Her flowing mulberry wine-coloured gown wonderfully complimented her jet-black hair that was held back in a perfectly styled updo. She constantly held an air of elegance and poise with her red satin shawl draped across her shoulders, covering her slightly tanned skin.

Namjoon’s mother still couldn’t fathom how Seokjin managed to look handsome and pretty at the same time as she took note of his suit.

She eventually decided to compliment him, “You look lovely my dear, very- uh-”

Seokjin finished her sentence, “Pink?”

She couldn’t help but grin, “Very you.”

Seokjin felt his insides warm with joy before giving her a friendly compliment. “You look like royalty, Mrs Kim.”

Namjoon watched in awe as his boyfriend seemed to be winning over his parents yet again, flawlessly making them feel at ease around him. He was no stranger to them, of course, but Namjoon found himself wondering why they were still so adamant on disregarding the fact that they weren’t just friends. He thought back to the argument he had with them a few weeks prior and sighed inaudibly.

After a short while of Seokjin keeping up comfortable conversation with his parent, his father eventually turned to him.

“Namjoon, we’d like you to meet-”

He wordlessly grabbed Seokjin’s hand and walked away before he could finish his sentence. He ignored his father's calls and his boyfriend’s questioning as they reached one of the many pillars that surrounded them. It was the farthest they could go without leaving the ball and no one seemed to be paying them any mind especially after noticing who Namjoon’s parents were.

“What was that-” Jin asked, clearly confused as Namjoon interrupted him.

“Dance with me.”

Seokjin merely stood there with his hands on his hips and his eyes narrowed. Namjoon laced his arms around his lower waist and stared at him intensely until Seokjin could only blush.

“Please.”

Seokjin’s eyes softened as he held on to Namjoon’s shoulders, somewhat hesitant before bringing his hands closer. His fingers played gently with the white hairs on the back of his neck whilst Namjoon closed his eyes to his touch. They swayed together to the calming sounds of the orchestra playing a sweet, romantic tune. The pair found their rhythm, moving in sync and falling into each other’s embrace without ever wanting to let go. They danced together for a while, forgetting about the people around them as well as where they were; it didn’t matter as long as they were together.

After quite a while Seokjin began to whine about being hungry, scowling at the plates of hors d’oeuvres carried by random waiters.

“When you said there’d be food, I didn’t expect tiny ass samples.” Seokjin complained, his eyes searching for a buffet table to save him.

Namjoon chuckled, “I’m sure there’s more food around here somewhere.”

“There better be a cake or something.”

Namjoon grinned fondly as his boyfriend set off to find some dessert, walking through the crowds with a purpose. He knew he’d be back soon, he leaned against the pillar simply waiting and thinking. Namjoon tried to supress his anger at the fact that his father was prepared to say what he what he was about to say in front of Jin. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again to see a girl in front of him. Her eyes were big and round to the point that she seemed almost doll-like with a small pair of pink painted lips and a button nose. She had caramel-coloured waves of hair falling down her back in perfect curls, decorated with little gems here and there. The girl looked down shyly, her gloved hands held over her sapphire gown; embedded with sparkling sequins that looked like tiny stars.

“M-may I have this dance?” She asked quietly.

Namjoon cocked his head to the side, her eyes seemed downcast and he could’ve sworn he noticed a tear stain on her cheek whenever the light from the chandeliers moved slightly.

Namjoon was ready to state that he was waiting for someone only to feel hundreds of pairs of eyes on him. He looked around to see multiple people whispering and looking over at them as the orchestra played relentlessly. Then it dawned on him; she’s a very important person.

“Sure.” He answered, trying not to sound too frustrated as he placed his hand on her mid-torso and loosely held her other hand in his.

He noticed a weight lift off her as she sighed and gave him a genuine smile.

Namjoon heard a few gasps as they danced together with a respectable amount of distance between each other. Instead of taking note of how pretty she was he was far too worried about whether Seokjin would overreact or not. He got so lost in his head that he didn’t notice how she began to lead the dance, moving him further and further away from the ball. Namjoon finally came back to the present, taking note of how something seemed off. Who was this girl and where was she leading him?

“Where are you taking me?” Namjoon asked, thinking about whether Jin would be able to find him.

“I hate it in there.” She muttered, her voice low and breaking as though she was on the verge of crying at any moment.

Namjoon allowed his compassion to take over as he realised that she needed some air as well as someone to talk to. They eventually left the ballroom and stood by the entrance to the gardens; a lovely arch decorated with an assortment of many flowers intertwined within it. She let go of him, giving him a desperate glance before entering the gardens. He followed her and sat by her on a nearby bench. Namjoon marvelled at how the streaks of moonlight swam in the luminescent waters of the grand fountain in front of them, the water spouted upwards leaving a never-ending spray of twinkling droplets flying and falling like stars trying to get back into the deep blue sky. He looked around at the flowers and bushes that surrounded them, they seemed to be slumbering under the dark blanket of the night, their bright and beautiful colours almost veiled.

Namjoon turned as he heard the girl next to him sniffle.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked in a straightforward manner, yet there was still a softness in his voice.

She took in a ragged breath before shaking her head and trying to wipe her tears, soaking her white, satin gloves. He wordlessly took out his handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to her. Namjoon didn’t notice her lingering glances towards his tight-fitting sapphire coloured vest and suit as well as the open top buttons of his shirt. She whispered a thank you before dabbing at her cheeks, every move she made seemed dainty and elegant. He wondered how long she had been trained.

“What’s your name?” He questioned, trying to get her mind off whatever was upsetting her.

“Aeri.” She answered as quietly as the breeze that passed by.

Namjoon nodded taking note of how she didn’t mention her last name, “Meaning gains, profit…. aren’t you lucky?” he joked.

She gave a sarcastic smile, “I don’t feel lucky at all.”

He finally got it after taking note of their matching colours and realising why his mother had insisted on him wearing that particular suit.

He sighed, “Cheong Aeri?”

Her big eyes somehow grew in size when he mentioned her full name. She nodded slowly.

“You’re an heir to one of the biggest companies in South Korea. What more do you want?”

She looked away from him, “A choice.”

Namjoon scratched the back of his neck becoming awkward as he failed to think of a comforting response to that.

“I can relate.” He simply stated, they gave each other understanding smiles.

“At least you get to choose who you date. Aren’t you and-”

He cut her off, “It’s complicated. You should know that considering our situation.”

She was visibly thrown off by his abrupt and cold tone, he knew she was trying to play dumb to avoid conflict.

“I’m sorry.” She apologised softly.

He nodded, “It’s not like you had a say in this.”

Aeri stared at the ground, “It must be uncomfortable for you since you’re- uh- unless you’re- um-” she stammered unsure of what words to use or if they were okay to say in the first place.

“I go both ways.” He declared simply.

Namjoon stood up and her heart raced in panic at the thought of him leaving suddenly. Then he leaned over and picked up a pink rose before sitting next to her again. Aeri knew a part of her wanted to receive it whilst the other part of her knew it wasn’t for her.

“I know what you’re thinking, it’s not a phase and I won’t grow out of it. I bet my parents are still holding on to that excuse. Are you?” Namjoon asked her pointedly.

She was hesitant to reply and chose not to say or do anything as she stared at her lap. He shook his head slightly as he played with the thorn-less rose in his hands. Namjoon switched the topic back to her instead.

“So, why were you crying?”

Aeri let out a breath, her sparkling tear-filled eyes staring into him as she tried to be as vague as possible. 

“It’s just the pressure.”

Namjoon raised an eyebrow, “Of course there’s going to be pressure when it comes to carrying a whole company. It’s not your turn yet though, you’re still young.”

“I’ll have to grow up eventually and…” she shivered slightly, “do what they do.”

Namjoon wondered about her reaction, thinking about whether he should give her the benefit of the doubt and assume it was the wind or maybe it was even- fear.

“What do they do?”

Aeri held back a gasp, quickly getting up after realising she had said too much. He made her feel way too at ease.

“Just the usual business things,” she felt for her blue shawl and wrapped it tightly around her shoulders, “It’s cold out here. I’ll head back inside- thank you, Namjoon.”

He called her name as soon as she turned around. Namjoon had the sincerest look she had ever seen in anyone’s eyes as he spoke.

“I love him, you better not forget that.” He informed her with a strong and unshakeable tone that reminded her of a brick wall.

She said nothing and left silently.

Namjoon sighed as he took out his phone from his blazer pocket and called Seokjin.

“Where the hell are you?” Jin yelled into the phone, marching out of the mansion and stopping in front of a floral decorated archway.

“In the gardens. I’m sorry I didn’t stay in the-”

“You’ll be sorry by the time I’m done with you.” He said in a threatening tone as he strode into the gardens and hung up.

Namjoon grinned, twirling the rose in his hand as he gazed up at his annoyed boyfriend from the bench and stood up to meet him by the fountain. Seokjin tried to look as angry and menacing as possible only to falter completely when he noticed how ethereal Namjoon looked. The glittering glow of the fountain sprinkled over his incredibly handsome features and the silver beams of the moon doused over him, making his white hair and dark blue suit look absolutely radiant in the night as though he belonged in the night sky. He silently cursed his damn dimples.

Namjoon raised his hand to present him a perfect rose, the white light of the moon making the pink petals shimmer slightly. Seokjin felt his heart stop and ask for a break.

“I’m trying to be mad at you-” He kissed his teeth and took the rose before muttering a small “thank you”.

Namjoon held his hips and brought him closer with a smirk only to receive a cute frown from his boyfriend.

“Who was she and what were you doing?” He deadpanned.

“A crying girl that I tried to help.” He answered as truthfully as he could without ruining everything.

Jin huffed, “You’re too nice.”

Namjoon leaned into the crook of his neck and nibbled gently, “Would you rather I be naughty?” he asked in a low, gruff tone.

Seokjin immediately became a blushing mess, “Behave!” he gasped, his tone disapproving but his eyes said otherwise.

Namjoon shook his head and trailed kisses up his neck and to his jawline before pausing at his lips. He grinned mischievously at his reddening face, he stared at his lips before looking into his eyes and chose to stall what they both waited for.

“Did you find that cake?” He asked, holding back a laugh when his boyfriend rolled his eyes.

Seokjin shook his head and wrapped his arms around the back of his neck, pulling him close enough so their noses touched, and their breaths intermingled. Their lips moulded over one another in a harmonious fit with a gentle sweetness that still heated their insides with a desire for more. Jin slyly passed his tongue over Namjoon’s lips as he broke away with a grin and replied.

“You’re the sweetest dessert here.”


	20. Wave 20

“I can’t believe I have the honour of walking with you.” Taehyung joked sarcastically to his best friend.

Jimin rolled his eyes with a smirk as he linked their arms, their legs in sync as they took their time strolling down the school corridors.

“You’re heading to the drama club anyway,” Jimin chuckled when he caught a glance of his best friend pouting childishly, “I’m sorry I haven’t been walking home with you anymore.” He apologised sincerely, realising how abrupt it may have seemed for Taehyung.

Tae muttered cheekily, “I get it, you like Jungkook better-”

“No! I- I’ve just gotten used to spending more time with him,” Jimin mumbled, his cheeks turning pink as he jabbed at Tae’s side, “almost like how I’m used to seeing your dumb face every day.”

Taehyung simply responded with trying to headbutt him only for the pair to round the corner looking like a ridiculous pair of rhinos in a fight. They eventually couldn’t handle the scrunched up looks on their faces and collapsed into a fit of giggles, barely managing to walk as they stopped in front of a large pair of double doors. It was pitch-black but somehow metallically glittering, the words ‘DRAMA STUDIO’ were written in white with the iconic comedy and tragedy masks painted in gold and red. After a couple moments of calming down, Jimin decided to have his turn teasing his best friend.

“It’s not like you’ve missed me, I’ve noticed a certain redhead’s been walking you home.” Jimin stated with a raised eyebrow and another smirk.

Taehyung failed to keep his usual composed expression and looked surprised then embarrassed in a split second, it was all too noticeable for Jimin. Although, he somehow kept a straight face, the blond was very aware of his light blush.

“It’s what friends do.” He spoke curtly.

“Ah, TaeTae, I don’t blame him.” Jimin said with a dramatic gasp as he brought his hands up to squish Taehyung’s cheeks. “Who wouldn’t love this face of yours?” He cooed patronisingly. He narrowed his eyes at the blond, registering how he had just insulted him minutes ago.

An unfamiliar voice abruptly cut into the conversation, “I know I do-”

The pair jumped in sync as they noticed the door to the drama studio had been opened and a head poked out. A boy with dark, chestnut curls, black-rimmed glasses, a dazzling lopsided grin and one deep dimple stepped out to greet them.

“Every member of the drama club loves Taehyung’s face, it’s great for showbiz.” He said in a matter-of-fact manner as Taehyung merely chuckled nervously.

Jimin was still a bit thrown off, trying to take in how his initially soft and cute appearance contrasted his black leather jacket, white t-shirt, tight leather jeans and combat boots. Nevertheless, when he reached out to shake his hand like he was ready for an interview Jimin shook it with a friendly smile.

“Hi, I’m Lee Haemin, nice to meet you.” He greeted in a warm tone.

“Park Jimin, nice to meet you too.” Jimin responded kindly, still not used to how formal they were being.

Haemin motioned to his outfit after sensing Jimin’s confusion, “No, I don’t usually wear this-”

Taehyung piped up, “Of course you don’t, who let you of all people play Danny Zuko?”

Haemin scoffed, “My artistic integrity and the constant need to challenge myself!”

Jimin stared at him, unable to tell whether he was offended or just joking.

Taehyung argued back, “Yeah right! You just want to sing that one line-”

Haemin suddenly burst into a series of spins and spastic hand movements before kicking up his foot and belting out a passionate, _“GREASE LIGHTNING!”_

Jimin clapped and laughed in amusement as he watched Taehyung try and push his friend back through the double doors whilst he sung the chorus. He said bye to them both as they disappeared into their own little world that he could never belong to. Jimin turned only to hear his best friend’s voice call out.

“Jimin, the dance studio is right next door!” Taehyung mentioned with a knowing smile that Jimin quickly reciprocated.

They shared eye contact, telepathically understanding the other before they went their separate ways.

Jimin walked a couple steps down the corridor to see the same pitch-black colour of the doors before but with the words ‘DANCE STUDIO’ and the white, painted figure of a ballerina doing a ciseaux. He smiled fondly, immediately hearing her voice in his head, “a split leap, one leg in the front and one leg in the back…”

He pushed the doors open and entered his own world knowing it would never leave him. Yet, as Jimin danced with the rays of the afternoon sun, he remembered how he once thought that she would never leave him either.

***********************

Jungkook stood by the school gates, pacing impatiently as he continuously checked his watch more and more often. He wondered what was taking Jimin so long as he checked his unanswered messages yet again. They had gotten into such a routine of waiting for each other and walking home after school that it didn’t feel comfortable for them to leave alone anymore. Jungkook let out a sigh, he had been waiting for almost half an hour and couldn’t handle waiting for another minute. So, he speed-walked back into the school and began to search for him like a lost puppy.

Eventually, after a few minutes he came across Namjoon sitting on the floor outside the cooking club and watching a TedTalk on his phone. He raised an eyebrow and stood in front of his team leader.

“What’s the leader of the student council doing on the floor? Jungkook questioned with a mischievous tone.

Namjoon took out one of his earphones and gave an embarrassed little laugh.

“I’m waiting for Jin.”

“Why can’t you wait inside?”

“You know why.” Namjoon mumbled.

Jungkook finally remembered how the poor guy was banned from any of Jin’s kitchens and giggled, “Ah, Namjoon you’re so whipped-”

The team leader gave him an incredulous look, “Says you! Who is it that you’re running around for?”

The brunet took note of the irony as he muttered, “I’m looking for Jimin.”

Namjoon looked up at him triumphantly despite still sitting on the floor and having no shame in doing so.

“I think I saw him in the Arts block.” He said casually.

Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows, it wouldn’t take Jimin half an hour to drop Taehyung off at drama.

He nodded and thanked Namjoon before heading off to the Arts block, still confused as to why Jimin would even be there. Jungkook’s mind tried to replay all their conversations, everything that Jimin has mentioned about himself and he came up with nothing. It’s not like he had anything to do with the arts, right?

Jungkook couldn’t help but feel a slight wave of dejection as he could only peer through yet another crack in the wall that surrounded Jimin.

*************************

Jimin didn’t feel right doing ballet without his slippers, so he went barefoot, and he fortunately had been wearing a pair of jeans with more of an elastic feel. With his phone on full volume blasting out the serene and peaceful notes of a piano he effortlessly brought out his contemporary side. He moved like a ribbon in the wind, twirling, turning, flipping and contorting in any way he knew. The music eased into a quicker pace, the notes growing louder and more intense. Jimin’s body took over his mind, he ran forward and threw himself into a perfect ciseaux as he soared through the air with the musical notes. He landed flawlessly with his eyes closed, tirelessly spinning his body into a no-handed aerial. Then he abruptly hit what seemed to be wall, yet he felt a sort of fabric. Jimin blinked his eyes open in surprise to see his hands resting on someone’s chest, he tensed at the feel of a pair of hands steadying him by the waist.

“Sorry about that, are you alright?” A husky voice that somehow held a hint of softness drifted into his ears, clouding his vision like smoke.

Jimin’s eyes looked up from his chest to see a long, smooth jawline, his face somewhat regal with dark eyes that held a certain hushedness like the mysterious hours of night, he had the eyes of a dashing prince but the lips of a beautiful princess. His jet-black waves of hair were held back in a ponytail, some strands escaping the hairband and trailing down the sides of his face. He looked like the physical embodiment of a fairy tale, of course, Jimin was thrown off.

“I-I’m fine.” He mumbled.

Jimin gently pushed his hands against his chest to try and remove himself from his hold. The fairy tale prince understood and gave an embarrassed chuckle as he let go of Jimin’s waist.

“I’m sorry for interrupting you, I just couldn’t help but notice how much of a talented dancer you are.”

Jimin gave a nervous smile, “I’m not that talented.” He uttered sheepishly.

He gave him a shocked look, “No, you really are and that’s coming from the dance captain- well, co-captain, Hoseok’s the captain.”

The blond nodded, “And you are?”

“Cha Daehyun.” He answered with a gorgeous grin. “I’m assuming you’re Park Jimin?”

“How do you know?”

“You’re one of the former Sindong students and I’ve already met Taehyung.” Daehyun responded bluntly.

“Of course, you have.” Jimin spoke, smiling fondly at the thought of his best friend being such a social butterfly.

Daehyun gazed at his small smile, “I’m glad I got the privilege of seeing you dance, but aren’t you a swimmer?”

Jimin looked away, staring out at the windows of the studio that showed the empty corridors. Then it dawned on him, he had forgotten to meet Jungkook after school. He quickly picked up his phone, turning the music off and calling him as fast as possible. His heartbeat raced with guilt as he wondered how long Jungkook had waited for him.

“Hello?” Jungkook’s voice sounded in his ears after a few rings.

Jimin felt a difference in his tone, it was colder than usual. He shook off the icy feeling and proceeded to apologise.

“I’m really sorry I forgot-”

There was a sharp sting in his chest when he was cut off by him.

“Don’t worry about it,” there was nothing reassuring about his voice, “I’d rather we go home separately anyway. It seems more convenient.” He deadpanned.

“More convenient for who?”

“For the both of us. You seem busy with whatever it is you’re doing after school and I’ve been getting distracted lately, I need to focus on swimming.”

Jimin tried not to scoff at how ridiculous he sounded, “So, now I’m a distraction?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You implied it.”

Jungkook’s voice began to display traces of anger, “Jimin, I wasted 40 minutes of my time for you-”

“When you could’ve been swimming?” Jimin interrupted, his tone held a hint of spite.

“I could’ve been doing anything else, but you didn’t seem to care.”

He felt guilt claw through his insides at the way Jungkook went from sounding angry to genuinely upset. He wished he had bit his tongue before giving his offended response.

“I didn’t ask you to waste your time.” Jimin shot back, hurt laced in his tone as he was not only a distraction to Jungkook but a waste of his time too.

There was a pause between the both of them; heavy momentary silence loaded with jagged spikes of hostility

“Then I won’t anymore.”

An abrupt beep shot through his ear. Jimin felt a surge of regret wash over him like a tidal wave of scorching water stinging his skin yet burning his heart.

Jungkook pounded his fists into the punching bag, his gloves sinking into the sand with such intensity and rage it seemed as though it was on the verge of breaking. He punched harder and harder as he thought back to that afternoon. After a while he came to a stop, beads of sweat dripped down his skin as he held the punching bag and rested his head against the leather material. His insides still simmered with anger, yet he could also feel his chest swarm with regret. Did he overreact?

The brunet let out a deep breath and lunged his fist into the punching bag when he saw it again his mind. The dance captain’s hands clasping Jimin’s waist like he belonged to him whilst the blond seemed so comfortable resting his hands on his chest, in his hold. A loud thud sounded as he landed another powerful hit. It’s not like Jimin belonged to him, he didn’t belong to anyone. Yet, there was nothing Jungkook could do to stop the rising feeling of jealousy gnawing through his insides and clawing out of his stomach.

“Jungkook, you’ve been up here for a while.” His mother commented as she entered his private gym.

He continued wordlessly banging his fists into the bag until his mother came close enough for him to stop it in motion, he wouldn’t want her to get hurt of course.

“You seem angry. What are you venting about?” She asked in a peaceful tone that subconsciously calmed him.

“I’m just training.” He deadpanned, taking off his boxing gloves and grabbing the bottle of water she brought him.

His mother squinted slightly as though she was analysing him, “Did something happen at school?”

Jungkook shook his head as he strode over to the weight machine and sat on the bench. He simply wanted to leave the conversation at that as he pulled on the handles, lifting as though he was the machine instead. His mother followed and stood in front of him, arms crossed with a perfume bottle in hand.

“Did you make a new fragrance?” He asked, in attempt to divert her attention.

Her doe eyes lit up with excitement as she nodded and sprayed the perfume on her wrist, “I’m trying something sweeter and more delicious with sugary gourmand juice, patchouli and jasmine,” she moved her hand towards him.

Jungkook let go of the handles, he inhaled the scent from her wrist and gave her grin, “It’s definitely sweet,” he continued as though he was in a daze, a certain blond came to mind as he added “and flowery.”

She beamed at him but wondered if it was just the perfume that made him smile so brightly.

“I was thinking of adding more vanilla, maybe even some honey-”

He suddenly came to terms with why he liked the fragrance so much, “No.” he muttered.

His mother raised an eyebrow, “Do you not like it?”

Jungkook rested his head in his hands, his elbows propped on his knees as he let out a sigh. “I do like it, that’s the problem.”

His mother’s light blue dress came into sight as she gracefully floated over to shove him gently and sit next to him on the bench.

“I don’t think my perfume is the problem, Jungkook.” She said as she cast him a knowing glance.

“It reminds me of Jimin.” He confessed in a huffy yet slightly dejected tone.

“What happened?”

“I got jealous.”

Saying it out loud finally made him realise that he’s never been jealous before, yet someone that he’s known for barely a month had already gotten all these new emotions running rampant inside of him.

Then he let out a sarcastic laugh, “I don’t even have the right to be jealous.”

“You have the right to feel emotion.” His mother stated bluntly.

He paused, cursing silently as he remembered what he told Jimin.

“I just got so upset,” his voice wavered as his downcast doe eyes stared into the dark blue carpet, “I said things that I- shouldn’t have said.”

His mother rubbed his back reassuringly despite the dampness of his t-shirt, “You can always apologise-”

“He should apologise too.” Jungkook argued, his tone almost childish.

She smiled fondly, “Why?”

“He was with some other guy when he was supposed to be with me-” He abruptly groaned in realisation as he facepalmed, “I already sound like a jealous boyfriend and we’re not even dating.”

“Yet.” His mother added teasingly before running a hand through his hair lovingly.

Then it finally dawned on him how much he had revealed despite how little he had said. Jungkook searched his mother’s eyes, looking for something until he found it so quickly that it surprised him. It was hard to miss; her eyes shone with the love and acceptance that he needed from her like the beam of the north star. Although she seemed to already know what he didn’t want to say, Jungkook knew he could tell her eventually. And it would be as simple as letting her know that his favourite colour was yellow not blue.

*********************

Yoongi casually swung open the door to Hoseok’s apartment and slipped on his fluffy, black cat slippers. He hummed softly as he pattered across the white carpet of the living room, his eyes passed over the bright décor, searching for any sign that Hoseok was already home. Yoongi called out his name to receive no response. He took out his phone, his other hand tightened around the bouquet of flowers he held.

After a couple of rings Hoseok picked up, “Hey, lil meow meow-”

“Stop calling me that. You said you’d be home by now?” He deadpanned.

Hoseok gasped, “Ah, Sorry I lost track of time! I’m at Jin’s diner, Tae finished his shift and-”

Yoongi’s hand loosened around the bouquet, his expression unchanging, “Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m on my way now-”

“Yeah, see you.”

Yoongi hung up quickly, realising how abrupt he was when he heard the sharp beep. He sighed as a slight feeling of regret nibbled at his chest; the thought of Hoseok feeling even the tiniest bit of hurt from his coldness made him contemplate texting him. Then he recalled how close Taehyung has gotten to his best friend in a matter of weeks. Yoongi felt the sudden need to turn off his phone before he left the bouquet on the coffee table and disappeared upstairs.

After about half an hour had passed, the late afternoon sun delved into the deep azure of the evening, the skies seemed almost desolate with mere wisps of clouds drifting through the growing darkness. There was an iciness that lingered upon Yoongi’s skin despite the warmth of his pyjamas and the soft, thick duvet felt like a thick pile of snow, crushing him. As he twisted and turned in discomfort, he eventually found himself facing the empty side of the bed. His hand passed over it and a rush of chilliness ran through him from the fabric. Yoongi turned away, curling into himself as he wrapped his arms around his torso and closed his eyes.

The evening was on the verge of falling into night the moment Hoseok entered; his chest heaving as he panted and quickly shoved on his white puppy slippers. He placed the paper bags he had on the kitchen counter as he yelled out Yoongi’s name. He cursed quietly when there was no response hoping he wasn’t mad at him for forgetting again. Hoseok skidded over to the living room, hoping to find Yoongi in one of his usual positions sleeping on the couch. He paused as he stared at the coffee table. The light of the pale moon and dim stars shone through his floor-length windows and landed on the bouquet of flowers; glimmering silver rays glazed over the ivory petals of daisies, the soft pale yellow roses complimented the few vibrant sunflowers perfectly whilst the pink carnations burst through here and there. Hoseok smiled even brighter than the colours of the bouquet before he picked it up and frowned. A few petals were becoming crisp with neglect, drying up in abandonment as it was left alone.

Hoseok hastily headed over to the kitchen and filled a glass vase with water. He smiled fondly as he heard Yoongi’s calm tone in his head, telling him to put just about the right amount of water. He made sure not put too much this time as he poured some out and carefully placed the flowers inside the vase. Hoseok took it upstairs into his room to find a lump on his bed and with a grin he set the flowers down on his bedside table.

“Yoongi, I got leftovers~” he mentioned cheerily before peeking under the covers to find him sleeping soundly.

Hoseok sighed, still smiling as he gently moved Yoongi’s mint green bangs and laid a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Out of all the bouquets you’ve given me, this one is my favourite.”

After hearing Hoseok’s footsteps disappear down the stairs, Yoongi opened his eyes and hid his blushing cheeks under the duvet.

“You say that every time.” He whispered.

When Yoongi looked over to the bedside table he couldn’t help but smile as he noticed the flowers that he had arranged for Hoseok. The glowing aqua vase had the perfect amount of water, the jovial medley of petals exploded with a newfound brightness, bursting with life and exuding love- just like his Hoseok.

**********************

Jungkook gripped the edge of the pool in frustration as Jimin was already climbing out of the water without an ounce of hesitation. Jungkook took off his swim cap, pushed his light brown hair away from his face and ripped off his goggles. Despite being submerged in cool water he was fuming, and it had nothing to do with constantly losing to Jimin. Ever since they stopped walking each other home after school they barely exchanged a word to each other, no longer interacting during their classes and working in silence at the café. The rest of the swim team weren’t oblivious to their sudden change in behaviour, already noticing how non-existent their flirting was and how they raced each other wordlessly.

Coach Choi put away his stopwatches, mentally taking note of how their times haven’t been improving and how little the pair communicated. He sighed when Jimin walked past him, murmuring something about leaving early. The coach gently turned him back around to face the pool- to face Jungkook. Jimin looked away whilst Jungkook swam in the opposite direction.

“Jungkook, get back here! Jimin you’re not going anywhere until practice is over.” Coach Choi ordered.

The brunet pretended he couldn’t hear him as he plunged deeper into the water and let the deafening liquid swarm into his ears.

Coach Choi rolled his eyes, “I know you can hear me! Don’t make me get my megapho-”

The rest of the team shouted over him from their pools, “NO!”

“Fine. Go get him.” The coach prompted Jimin to swim.

The blond groaned, he was sick of the smell of chlorine and the thought of going back into the water irked him. He didn’t want to swim. Then he noticed how Jungkook slowed down ever so slightly.

“Jimin-”

He let out a deep breath, cutting off the coach as he threw himself into the water with little to no technique. Coach Choi blinked, he had never seen Jimin jump into a pool like that and was even more thrown off by the way he swam. The blond sped through the water with barely any rhythm or flow like a chaotic streak of lightning zooming over to the brunet, leaving a jagged trail behind him. He swam with such intensity, everyone else had to stop and realise that he almost swam just like Jungkook.

The two nearly collided into one another as Jimin latched himself on to Jungkook, stopping him from swimming any further. A cacophony of splashes was heard as the brunet protested, trying to fight out of his hold until they both sank deeper into the water. Fear ran through his body as the familiar feeling of plummeting stabbed his chest until he opened his eyes and looked at Jimin. Staring into his golden-brown orbs sent a wave of calm over him that almost made him forget that they were underwater in the first place. Jimin quickly pulled Jungkook upwards, their heads bursting out of the water together.

The blond spoke after a few breaths, “What’s going on with you?”

“You’re the one who’s been ignoring me.” Jungkook responded stubbornly.

“We’ve been ignoring each other.” Jimin deadpanned.

“I’ve just taken the hint since you seem to be way more interested in that dance captain.” He spat, before swimming away to the edge of the pool.

Jimin shouted after him, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He swam after him, trapping the brunet before he could get out of the pool. Jungkook sighed exasperatedly, turning around to face the blond.

“You keep leaving practice early, you’re always in the Arts block,” he shook his head in disbelief, “What are you even doing in the dance studio of all places?”

Jimin’s hands tightened as he held the ledge, his knuckles paling in colour as he avoided eye contact. Jungkook became aware of how their skin never came into contact despite being stuck between his arms on either side of him.

“Maybe if you weren’t so damn jealous, I’d be spending time with you instead.”

Jungkook could’ve sworn the water was freezing as he wished he never heard what he said. It was the first time Jimin had ever spoken to him in such an icy tone as each word sliced into him like icicles ramming into his chest. Regret crushed him as Jimin moved away and left the pool without another word. Jungkook stared into the water with a despondent gaze; it wasn’t his place to get jealous, yet he couldn’t push it away, instead all he did was push Jimin away.


	21. Wave 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all better sit down for dis- it's long as hell.

A day had gone by with neither of them making a move to communicate with another. The rest of the team were starting to get sick and tired of their stubbornness. Their tension was practically stifling as Jimin greeted them all except Jungkook, before taking his books out of his lockers and leaving with Taehyung by his side. Jungkook let out an annoyed groan as he leaned back into his locker.

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, “Either you two are dating already or you’re being unreasonably jeal-”

“Don’t say it.” Jungkook muttered.

“Jelly.” Hoseok gave a tiny pout, simultaneously making Yoongi smile fondly at how adorable he was.

“Am I really being unreasonable?”

Namjoon chipped in, “Well, are you really his boyfriend?”

Jungkook rolled his eyes, thinking the answer was obvious but for some reason he didn’t feel like coming to terms with it out loud.

“Seriously, what if he’s just making friends? He’s still kind of new around here.” Seokjin mentioned.

“It doesn’t seem like that dance captain’s intention.” Jungkook scoffed, trying to get rid of the memory of someone other than him holding Jimin in such a way.

Hoseok cocked his head to the side, “You mean my co-captain? Cha Daehyun is a really nice guy, I’m sure he was just being friendly-”

He paused when he noticed Jungkook turn away as stubborn as ever.

Yoongi sighed before joining into the conversation, “Jungkook, you’re not the one who gets to choose who Jimin is friends with.”

Jungkook balled his fists, digging his hands into the pockets of his swim jacket. He thought of how perfectly it had enveloped Jimin.

“And at this rate you won’t be the one that Jimin chooses to be friends with.” Namjoon informed him in a straightforward manner.

“So, we suggest you make up with him.” Seokjin added.

The bell rang abruptly, and they all dispersed without another word, leaving Jungkook to think about whether his pride was more important than his relationship with Jimin as he walked to his K Lit class.

Jungkook spent a majority of the lesson staring at the gorgeous blond by the window which wasn’t much different from what he’d usually do in that class. As the minutes went by and Mrs Yi taught them about some old book, the feeling of regret grew heavier and more suffocating as he realised how much of a precious gem Jimin was. The more time that passed, the more golden his hair seemed against the warm colours of the autumn scenery behind him, his breathtakingly beautiful eyes would glimmer whenever he got a question right. Yet, Jungkook felt his heart sink when he realised that Jimin wasn’t smiling nearly as much as he used to.

The brunet discreetly ripped a small piece of paper from his notebook and scribbled down two words. Once Mrs Yi was at the back of the classroom, he thought the coast was clear and quickly threw the paper to Jimin’s desk. Jimin blinked at him cutely in surprise before picking it up and smiling unconsciously as he read the words, _I’m sorry._

Jungkook could barely appreciate the way Jimin’s golden brown eyes softened before Mrs Yi stormed through them and snatched up the paper. He gulped nervously as she stood in front of their desks with a steely gaze.

“Jungkook, tell me about the book we’re studying this lesson.” Mrs Yi ordered sternly.

Jungkook opened his mouth before shutting it again and tried to look down at the closed book on his desk only for his teacher to place her hand on the title and author.

“Without looking at the book you haven’t opened at all this lesson.”

The brunet scratched the back of his neck and anxiously looked away to avoid her intimidating gaze. His eyes were drawn to Jimin like a magnet and noticed how he was holding up nine fingers.

He stammered, “Nine- The Nine uh-”

Jimin pointed to the sky and Jungkook gasped when he finally got an epiphany from their game of charades.

“Cloud Nine!”

Jimin facepalmed and Mrs Yi let out a disappointed sigh as the class resounded with chuckles and giggles.

“Close enough, I guess.” She said with an eye roll before heading to her desk and sitting on the table. “The Nine Cloud Dream by Kim Man-Jung was written in 1687 and set in 9th century Tang China. It is a historical novel which poses the question: will the life we dream of truly make us happy?”

Jungkook nodded in understanding, content with the idea as he was pretty certain of his answer already. He knew exactly what he wanted in life and turned to Jimin expectantly to telepathically know if they had the same answer. He furrowed his eyebrows when Jimin simply looked away and fidgeted with the hem of his grey sweater. He wasn’t even wearing his swim jacket.

Mrs Yi opened up the crumpled piece of paper, “Maybe you’d know what the book is about if you weren’t too busy passing notes during-” She paused when she read it and tried to keep a straight face despite wanting to let out an uncharacteristic “aw”.

She cleared her throat as the rest of the class wondered what the note said. “This is a warning, if you pass notes again in my class, I’ll read them out loud.”

Jungkook and Jimin apologised only to get cut off by their teacher.

“Both of you, stay behind after class.”

Jungkook panicked, “I was the one who wrote and passed the note in the first place, Jimin shouldn’t-”

“I said, both of you.” Mrs Yi stated, never needing to raise her voice yet the students could’ve sworn her words were booming.

Jungkook sent an apologetic look towards the blond beside him who merely gave him a reassuring smile that managed to put him at ease.

The rest of the lesson went by smoothly as Jungkook decided to open up the book they were studying and pay more attention. Their teacher still couldn’t help but notice how often he’d glance at Jimin along with frequent lingering stares between the two of them. The lesson eventually came to an end and students began to leave the classroom whilst Jimin and Jungkook waited in their seats expectantly.

Mrs Yi sighed with her arms crossed before saying, “After reading your note, I assume you both have something to talk about.”

They both looked at her dumbfounded as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and gave a soft smile.

“I hope you both figure things out,” She took her lunch from her bag and walked out, leaving them to have some alone time.

Jungkook let out a deep breath of relief before looking over to Jimin.

“I guess I should say it out loud.” The brunet muttered as he stood up from his desk. Jimin watched him with a slightly confused expression before getting up too and stepping closer to him.

“I’m sorry.” Jungkook spoke without hesitation as he held eye contact with the blond in front of him.

Jimin nodded, moving closer to him but still looking at him with an expectant gaze.

He understood and continued, “I shouldn’t have gotten so upset, I shouldn’t have been so-”

“Jealous?” Jimin interrupted with a smirk as he comfortably fitted his arms around Jungkook’s torso.

“Yeah,” Jungkook chuckled nervously, gently taking a hold of Jimin’s waist as though he was reclaiming him.

He shook his head cutely, “No, you shouldn’t have. I’m just making friends.” Jimin reassured softly, he placed his arms under Jungkook’s swim jacket, taking solace in the warmth and comfort he gave.

Jungkook simply nodded before he rested his chin atop Jimin’s head; insanely soft, blond locks of hair tickled him slightly whilst Jimin smiled into his chest. The brunet realised how much he missed the sweet, flowery smell of his shampoo whist the vanilla from his favourite perfume made him feel all kinds of content. They stood there for a while, together in the middle of an empty classroom with gentle rays of light flooding in, creating a pleasant afternoon glow that washed over them with waves of autumn colours. Jimin realised how much he enjoyed being in his hold yet Jungkook still couldn’t erase the image of him being in someone else’s arms. During those peaceful moments in each other’s embrace his mind eventually wandered where it shouldn’t. The tighter he held him, the more he thought of him as the most precious piece of gold that could ever exist, he came to the realisation that he didn’t want to let go of him, or give him away to anybody else.

“I don’t think that was his intention though.”

Jimin looked up at him with a puzzled look, his arms already loosening around Jungkook’s torso.

“What?”

“From what I saw, it didn’t seem like just being friends was his intention.” Jungkook spoke seriously, his tone unwavering.

Jimin abruptly got out of his hold and stepped away from him before raising his voice slightly, “Then what the hell did you see?”

“I saw him all over you,” Jungkook shot back, “I saw you in his arms-”

“You mean when he stopped me from falling?” Jimin scoffed, looking away from him in frustration.

“Falling?” Jungkook gave him an incredulous look, “What were you even doing with him? In the dance studio of all places-”

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.” Jimin deadpanned.

He faced Jungkook with an intense stare that made the brunet stay fixed to his spot and realise how deep the hole he had dug for himself was.

Jimin took a step towards him with his arms crossed, “Last time I checked, I’m not your boyfriend. I’m not one of your gold medals or trophies that you can get all possessive over,” he moved his face closer to Jungkook’s who couldn’t bare the way he glared at him, “You must be so used to getting what you want, but you sure as hell aren’t getting me.”

And with that, he stormed out of the classroom, slamming the door behind him so loudly it made Jungkook flinch. A wave of fury ran through him as he gave his desk a powerful kick, splitting it in half. Splinters flew about haphazardly as his foot ached and so did his chest as his heart raced with a flurry of emotions. He took a deep breath and stared down at the broken wood of his desk. He’d have to pay for it-

Well, his father would have to pay for it.

***********************

“Seriously, Tae, challenge yourself!” Haemin pleaded.

Taehyung sighed whilst putting on a pair of black, thick rimmed glasses and opening the top buttons of his collared shirt to show the white of his t-shirt underneath.

“Shut up, I’m not being Sandy.” Tae hissed playfully as he tried to land a kick on Haemin’s leg only for him to do the electric slide out of the way.

Haemin smirked, running a hand through his gelled chestnut hair with a certain smoothness that showed his method acting skills. Tae simply rolled his eyes at his antics and typed away at his phone, responding to a text from Hoseok who was on his way.

Haemin crossed his leather-clad arms over his tight torso, “So, instead of being a lead-”

“I’m already a main character and I’m fine with that.”

“You’re fine with being Doodoo?” Haemin exclaimed dramatically as their fellow thespians turned towards their side of the stage.

“It’s Doody and you know it!” Tae yelled back, holding back a grin as he jokingly put Haemin in a choke hold.

The two wrestled frantically until their drama teacher emerged from backstage and ordered for them to take the circus off the stage. They bowed as they apologised in unison before hopping off the stage and heading to the studio door. The two bickered childishly and once they were just about ready to throw hands again there was a knock at the door. Taehyung hip bumped Haemin out of the way and opened the door for Hoseok. The boy with bright red hair gave them an even more vibrant smile as he greeted them with such a friendly aura it was almost overwhelming.

“Thanks for coming, Hobi.”

“No problem, Tae,” Hoseok gave him a loose hug before patting Haemin’s back, “Hae, how’re you doing?”

“Hey or Hae?” Haemin asked with a grin.

The pair guffawed like it was the funniest pun they’d ever heard whilst Tae scrunched his nose knowing Jin made the same corny ass joke. The two thespians linked arms with Hoseok and lead him to the stage. The drama studio held a certain sensation of being underground, a place of hidden talent churning and brewing in all kinds of ways in the dark confines of a black, rectangular pandora’s box. It was a somewhat mysterious place for those who didn’t partake in theatre but home to a multitude of geniuses backstage and actors on stage who disguised themselves, delving into the adventure of their character by travelling through time and to different places. Taehyung smiled triumphantly at the sight of his fellow actors, this time they were in 1950s America.

The three of them climbed on to the stage and Hoseok politely greeted the rest of the cast who eagerly awaited his instructions.

“Alright guys, let’s dance!” Hoseok cheered.

Hoseok spent time with the drama crew, teaching them different moves and showing them how it fits into the choreography of their dance numbers. He held a professional air as he made sure no one was behind, and everyone could nail every move. Taehyung was a bit thrown off by how strict he was being as he noticed how his jolly attitude would switch to a more serious tone especially when someone repeatedly messed up a move. He almost gasped when he heard Hoseok scold one of the cast members, it was surprising to hear the sudden roughness in his tone but still somewhat enticing.

“Taehyung, you’re too stiff.”

Taehyung let out a nervous chuckle as he tried the move again, skillfully doing the hand motions and spinning perfectly but Hoseok didn’t seem to be satisfied halfway through. He stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.

“You need to loosen your hips when you do the body rolling.” Hoseok mentioned, giving him a demonstration as he spoke.

Taehyung watched their dance instructor smoothly roll and jut his hips in a backwards and forwards motion that made the whole cast blush from the sheer sexiness of it. Hoseok seemed to be oblivious to his appeal though as he waited expectantly for Taehyung to copy what he just did. The brunet stood there for a second, blinking as he composed himself and tried to get the image of Hoseok’s tight belt holding his waist as his shirt almost released itself from his jeans. Taehyung looked away and tried again only for Hoseok to tut and place his hands on his hips from behind.

“Loosen up and move with the rhythm,” he ordered in such a commanding tone the actor couldn’t help but freeze before allowing his hands to guide his hips backwards and forwards whilst he became a blushing mess, “There you go.” Hoseok nodded and his hands lingered before letting go.

Haemin moonwalked past them and shouted, “Get a room!”

Taehyung couldn’t even manage to keep eye contact with Hoseok whilst the redhead didn’t seem fazed at all.

“MJ wasn’t around in the 1950s!” Hoseok yelled back.

Haemin did a spin before moonwalking again, “HEE HEE!”

Taehyung was deaf to the laughs around him but could only hear Hoseok’s cheerful giggles as he smiled fondly at him.

Then their dance instructor abruptly received a phone call which he picked up immediately when he saw the name on his screen.

“You’re done? Alright, I’m on my way~” Hoseok sang, his smile brightening even more as he hung up. He gave the cast an apologetic look before saying “I’m sorry but I have to get going now. You guys were amazing, keep up the good work!”

They all thanked him for his help as Taehyung gently grabbed his arm before he could jump off the stage.

“Would you be able to make it to our performance in January?” Taehyung asked with a puppy dog look powerful enough to make someone commit a crime for him.

Hoseok grinned, “Sure, I’m looking forward to it!” he answered before pulling him into a hug and blowing a kiss towards Haemin who comically received it with a mimed baseball bat.

The redhead chuckled and then dashed out of the drama studio leaving Taehyung to wonder how a certain person could get him to run like his life depended on it. He thought back to Haemin’s words from before. Challenge himself?

Maybe he would.

**************************

Jimin soared through the air before landing shakily on one foot. The sombre tune of the song filled the room with a certain sadness that seemed to darken the rays of the afternoon sun, yet it was simply becoming evening. He closed his eyes as though trying to shut out time itself. Then he threw himself into as many pirouettes as he could muster before stumbling into the mirrors and slamming his side into the wooden bars. Jimin gasped, holding back a yell as the music screamed for him; thrashing cymbals, weeping violins, trumpets bellowing as the subtle sweetness of the piano struggles to be heard in all the commotion. Like a swan gliding through the serene waters of a lake he moved across the floor with every step radiating poise and elegance until he jumped up and crashed into the floor. His back ached and his body throbbed with pain as the song continued on without him, leaving him behind.

Then the music stopped abruptly.

Jimin sat up to see Daehyun in all black, like a dark knight, with his jet-black hair glistening under the cool gaze of the evening sky that poured in from the windows. He had paused the music and was now looking down at the blond with his prince-like facial features showing nothing but worry.

“Jimin, you’ll hurt yourself.” He spoke softly before sitting down next to him.

Jimin said nothing, he was thrown off by how striking his dark eyes seemed to be, despite the absence of colour. They were piercing and somewhat searching, yet he found himself thinking about the way a certain pair of doe eyes would fill with all kinds of light and warmth when he saw him. Instead of feeling a sense of clarity he saw a smokiness in Daehyun’s eyes that almost intrigued him.

“So, why were you dancing like that?”

The blond sighed, “I dance like that when I’m angry.”

Daehyun paused thoughtfully, “Who are you angry at?”

Jimin pressed his eyelids closed as he remembered the broken-hearted look on Jungkook’s face, his warm brown eyes became empty and lifeless, his adorable, pink lips seemed to quiver with unspoken words as Jimin completely pushed him away.

“Myself.”

The dance captain knew not to ask why and instead decided to try and cheer him up.

“Do you always dance by yourself?” he asked smoothly.

“I don’t have anyone to dance with.” Jimin responded bluntly, oblivious as to where Daehyun was going with this.

“Hey,” he poked the blond’s cheek softly and smiled fondly at his pout, “You have me.”

Jimin knew he should’ve been appreciative of what Daehyun was trying to do but a feeling of selfishness and unsatisfaction gripped at his chest. Hearing those words come out of his mouth didn’t sit comfortably with him like an itch in his ears he couldn’t scratch. Jimin couldn’t help but imagine hearing Jungkook saying those words to him with the same low, gruffness that somehow tickled his insides.

Then he felt a hand take his and lift him from the floor. He was suddenly thrusted into the air with a pair of strong hands securely holding his waist. Jimin let out a delighted yet shocked gasp as he noticed the room begin to spin around him from a new height. His body dipped backwards and Daehyun’s hands moved to support him perfectly. Jimin stretched out his arms and legs in an utterly graceful pose that almost made Daehyun freeze when he caught their reflection. The dance studio became filled with a symphony of giggles as Jimin’s dark knight chuckled along with him.

The two danced together like they had been dancing forever, perfectly complimentary as Jimin was free to do whatever he wished without the thought of ever falling to the floor since Daehyun would catch him every time. The blond came down from the air and was yet again caught in his arms, then lowered so he remained by his chest. Jimin thought back to every princess he could think and wondered if that were how their princes would carry them. He didn’t realise he had his arms laced around his neck until he looked into his midnight eyes and was reminded of how unbelievably handsome he was. The words ‘you have me’ replayed through his mind.

Maybe he’d have to make do with what he had.

**************************

Jungkook ripped through the water as his muscles teared and burned despite the coolness he was supposed to feel, his skin hissed from the boiling sensation inside him as his sweat melded with the water. With every breath he took he was reminded of how slow he was getting, his chest rattled weakly with every inhale and exhale until he finally came to a stop at the end of the pool. Jungkook cursed as he snatched off his swim cap and goggles.

“You’re 4 seconds slower than your average time.” Coach Choi mentioned bluntly as he put his stopwatch in his pocket.

Jungkook punched the water, only for it to give a sudden splash and hit him right back in his face, chlorine mildly stinging his eyes.

“Jungkook, what’s going on with you?” The coach questioned with a trace of worry in his voice.

He hung on to the ledge, bringing his arms up to rest his head on his soaked skin as he gave no response. Jungkook closed his eyes and remained stuck in the water, as solemn as ever.

Coach Choi merely sighed before whipping out his megaphone, “TAEHYUNG, WHERE’S JIMIN?”

Jungkook’s arms slipped from the ledge and he suddenly choked on water briefly before glaring up at his coach. Taehyung climbed out of the long course pool and pitter-pattered over to Coach Choi.

“I don’t know, I thought he’d come to practice today.” Taehyung answered, frankly.

Coach Choi groaned before kissing his teeth, “Our fastest swimmer keeps leaving practice early and now he’s actually cutting.”

Jungkook felt a pang in his stomach as though a heavy-weight boxer had just landed a critical hit to his torso when he heard the words ‘fastest swimmer’ and knew they were no longer referring to him.

“Jungkook, go find Jimin and bring him here.” Coach Choi ordered before blowing his whistle to signal the end of practice.

The brunet didn’t even think he had enough energy to face him after their argument. He felt hollow as he listened to his heartbeat helplessly drone on, each fragile thud in his chest resounded like disembodied echoes in a desolate room. He simply shook his head.

Coach Choi crouched down to ruffle his hair, his hands softer and gentler than his own father’s hands had ever felt.

“The Golden Fin I know doesn’t give up,” he spoke quietly as his voice grew soothing, “no matter what race.”

Jungkook looked up at his coach with a certain shine in his once dull doe eyes and gave a small nod. He understood what he meant completely.

After showering and getting changed in the locker room he dashed through the halls. If his apology failed, he would have to try again and again until he succeeded. He wasn’t willing to lose a race easily, and he definitely wasn’t willing to lose Jimin. His footsteps thundered up the stairs as he finally entered the Arts block. Jungkook jogged up to the dance studio, his breathing deep as he closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn’t see what he saw last time. Then he came to a stop, his breathing grew calm and he opened his eyes.

It was even worse than last time.

Jimin and Daehyun were dancing together in each other’s arms. His heart plummeted at the sight of the blond looking the happiest he’s ever seen him; every jump was like a sharp stab through his gut. A sickening feeling of disgust and the sizzling sear of anger embedded into his chest as he watched the way Daehyun held him, constantly clinging to what he wanted.

Jungkook burst through the door, and a deafening BANG reverberated throughout the room. Jimin immediately removed himself from Daehyun’s hold and stared at the brunet in complete shock.

“Jimin…what the fuck is this?” He asked, his voice dangerously low yet holding a trace of shakiness.

The blond wrapped his arms around himself as he avoided eye contact.

Daehyun decided to speak, “Dancing. You got a problem?”

Jungkook gritted his teeth as he walked towards Daehyun, “I’ve got a problem with you, get the fuck out.” He shot back sharply, his tone as jagged as the blade of a knife.

“I’m a dance captain in a dance studio, if anyone should get the fuck out it’s you.” Daehyun said as calmly as ever with his matter-of-fact tone.

The brunet was itching to throw a punch as his hands balled up into fists. Then he turned to Jimin.

“What the hell are you doing here then?” he asked pointedly.

The blond ignored his question and looked at the dance captain instead, “Do you mind giving us some time alone?” he spoke to Daehyun softly.

Jungkook tensed even more when he remembered how much he missed hearing him speak like that to him.

Daehyun nodded, “I’m heading home anyway, should I wait for you-”

Jungkook cursed in an obnoxiously loud manner before chuckling sarcastically and shaking his head at the irony of the situation.

“No, just go home.” Jimin muttered.

The dance captain sent a glare towards Jungkook, making sure to bump into his shoulder as he past by and headed out of the door. The brunet had to will every fibre of his being to hold himself back from knocking him on the back of his head with his fist. Jimin abruptly switched his demeanour, becoming as cold as an ice sculpture when he glared at the brunet in front of him.

“You just can’t help yourself, can you? Since when was what I do after school any of your business?” Jimin deadpanned, his tone as chilly as ever.

“Ever since you joined the damn swim team, you were supposed to be at practice!” Jungkook responded, his voice raised.

The blond tried to mask his shocked expression, he didn’t realise he had missed practice, “I- I’m sorry-”

“Don’t be. It’s pretty obvious what’s more important to you.” He spat.

Jimin’s eyes suddenly grew desperate, “Jungkook, please-”

Jungkook couldn’t bear to keep eye contact with him and looked away as he spoke, “So, this is what you’ve been hiding from me? Dancing?”

Jimin blinked, registering the hurt in his voice as he racked his brain trying to find an excuse but came out emptyhanded.

The brunet made sure to leave out the part that hurt him most. He continued to look away from him as he came to terms with how Jimin was too busy dancing with some other guy instead of swimming together with him. The thought riled him up in so many ways, it was like a scalding hot iron pressing into his chest again and again when he remembered how often Jimin would leave practice early. The fact that he had now missed practice completely for Daehyun made his skin boil to the point that he felt as though it would melt off.

“Do you realise how dangerous it is to be dancing?”

Jimin felt his intestines twist in discomfort as a sickening feeling emerged, this felt all too familiar.

“Do you realise that Hoseok also dances?”

Jungkook scoffed, “He doesn’t leave practice early because of dance and he’s never skipped practice either.” He looked down at Jimin’s ballet slippers and shook his head, “You’re doing ballet for fuck’s sake, you could injure yourself so damn easily!”

Jimin felt guilt ram into his chest as he began to take steps back whenever Jungkook began to advance. The brunet scowled as his father’s words from a long time ago dug into his mind and festered. As he spoke, he no longer saw Jimin- he saw himself.

“If you fuck up so much as an arm, leg, hand, or foot, you’re finished!” He yelled.

Jimin had made the mistake of closing his eyes, seeing his mother instead of Jungkook. She would say those words, not him- why him?

“Jungkook!” he shouted, his tone unstable and as fragile as glass on the verge of breaking.

“You’re a swimmer, don’t you get it?” He bellowed over him.

Jimin finally broke when he heard the words that he dreaded the most.

“Do you think I wanted to be a fucking swimmer?”

Jungkook quietened as he listened to the echoes of what just came out of his mouth. The room was then filled with complete silence as they stared at each other.

Then he continued, “If I could stop swimming, I would.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Jungkook muttered incredulously, his insides contorting with anger as his muscles tensed.

Jimin noticed the way the brunet began to tremble. What the fuck is he so angry about? Then it hit him when he remembered how both times, Jungkook had caught him in the dance studio with Daehyun.

“This isn’t just about me dancing is it?” he asked, annoyance laced into his tone.

Jungkook looked at him in disbelief before turning around sharply on his heel. Jimin quickly gripped his arm, pulling him back as he asked, “What the hell are you so mad about? Seriously, if it’s about Daehyun-”

The brunet shrugged him off, making Jimin let go abruptly as he sent him a glare that made him want to shrink into himself. He watched Jungkook nearly disappear through the door before stopping to turn his head towards the blond behind him. Then before he left, he said the words-

“It’s the fact that the one person I can’t beat in a race…doesn’t even want to fucking swim.”


	22. Wave 22

Yoongi walked down the winding staircase with his eyes half-closed as he let out an exhausted yawn. Every time he blinked, he saw musical notes and lyrics imprinted into the backs of his eyeballs. Luckily, his family weren’t home for the rest of the day and he could finally have some time alone- with Hoseok. He rounded the corner and spotted a bright, crimson head of hair; Hoseok was lounging on one of the expensive black, velvet sofas, resting his head between the soft white cushions and giggling as he texted someone. Yoongi paused by the doorway and tried not to think too deeply about who he was so happily conversing with, instead he fondly appreciated his endearingly cute smile and made his way over to him. Hoseok grinned at his mint-haired best friend and put his phone away before sitting up and patting his lap expectantly. Yoongi failed to hold back a small smile as he laid his head on his lap and closed his eyes.

He felt every cell in his body reach a state of serene calmness as the tranquil sounds of Hoseok’s soft chuckling at the low murmuring of the sitcom on tv made him feel such a surreal sense of comfort. The feathery sensation of his hands absent-mindedly caressing his mint-green strands of hair made him feel like the sands of a beach constantly being embraced by the peaceful waves of the ocean. All the blinds were drawn as the only light he needed was right beside him.

His voice was breathy yet smooth as he spoke, “Hobi-”

“Yoongles~”

“No.” he deadpanned as he looked up at him.

“Lil meow meow?” Hoseok pouted.

Yoongi sighed before giving him an adorable gummy smile, “Can you come to my piano recital in January?”

Hoseok grinned brightly, not only lighting up the room but also lighting up his life. Yoongi gave him a dumfounded stare, wondering how his warm, brown eyes shone like that.

“How could I ever say no to you?” he responded softly as he lightly stroked his cheek.

Yoongi felt the birds in his chest sing as they flew out in a colourful array. It meant the absolute world to him that Hoseok would see his upcoming performance, especially for a certain song in particular. He gave Hoseok such a vibrant smile it almost threw him off as much as what he did next. Yoongi took his hand from his cheek gently and delicately placed a kiss on his skin as he held his hand to his lips.

“I’m so lucky to have you.” He uttered quietly.

The redhead was speechless for a moment as Yoongi stared into his eyes intently, dark orbs glistening with pure adoration and content. A tingling sensation danced across his skin at the feel of his soft lips and breath feathering his skin. He chuckled in an attempt to recover from his flustered state, wondering if Yoongi could see the way his cheeks flushed pink in the dark.

“I thought you didn’t believe in luck.” He commented light-heartedly.

Yoongi shook his head slightly, giving him a small smile as he gently stroked his hand with his thumb.

“I believe in you.”

*********************

Jimin felt everything within him plunge into a familiar darkness when he heard his name called as soon as he entered the house. It was his mother’s voice, filled with the stinging of the same needle-like sharpness of her tone. His footsteps were light as he walked into the spacious living room to find his mother sitting on one of the modern, cream coloured sofas. His stomach churned with anxiety as he realised, his father was probably still at work, yet she just had to be home early. The blond took a deep breath before sitting opposite her on a separate sofa, completely avoiding her icy stare.

“I’ve had a talk with your coach.”

Jimin gripped the hem of his thick cardigan as his heartbeat picked up to dangerous speeds. His mother’s eyes narrowed with fury, chilling him to his core when he made the mistake of catching her gaze for a split second.

“So, you’ve been skipping practice?” She spoke in a low and calm tone that triggered something primal inside him, instinctively putting him on edge.

“I- I haven’t been skipping-” he stammered quietly, filled to the brim with nerves as his fingers held a slight tremor.

She stood up all of a sudden, towering over him despite her shorter height; all he could do was cower with his head lowered as the weight of her crushing glare broke into his spine.

“You better get rid of this nasty habit of lying because I’m getting sick of it!” she shouted, her tone changing from a needle to a knife as her raised voice seemed to shake every fibre of his being.

He did it again. It was happening again, all because of his selfishness. Jimin bit his lip as it began to quiver. He began to drown in his thoughts as he succumbed to the familiar swarming feeling that swallowed him. Jimin closed his eyes as he came to terms with how much of a disappointment he was, not only to Jungkook but also his mother. He had ruined everyone’s expectations of him again. He had failed again.

“I’m sorry, I- I just didn’t feel like…swimming.” He muttered quietly.

His mother scoffed, “You didn’t feel like it? This isn’t some hobby, Jimin, this is your life we’re talking about!”

He felt his chest flood with a certain anger that he usually only let simmer beneath the surface. However, it was now beginning to overflow, the lid trembling as he began to boil with a rage he could no longer contain. Jimin stood up, facing his mother as he still struggled to keep eye contact with her.

“This isn’t my life.” He whispered; his voice painfully soft despite the harshness of the wrath he felt.

His mother gave him an incredulous look, “Excuse me?”

He raised his voice, his tone wavering as he spoke, “It’s the life that you chose for me. I didn’t want it. I never wanted it-”

Her rage filled eyes suddenly sparked with shock before clouding with disbelief. She pointed a shaky finger to her chest, “I didn’t force you to love swimming!” She shot back, her tone slicing into him.

He shook his head, his throat feeling as though it was closing up as he let out a strangled “No.”

Jimin stared at the soft carpet on the floor, watching a single tear drop silently disappear into the white material.

“You made me hate it.”

A gut-wrenching silence passed as the ticking of the nearby grandfather clock grew deafening. Goosebumps climbed on to his skin as his heart was on the verge of giving out with every tick that boomed into his ears. Her footsteps were almost inaudible, yet he could still hear the sinking of her slippers, stepping onto his missing tear. Jimin closed his eyes and curled into himself, his arms wrapping around his body in a weak attempt to protect himself from an oncoming wave of hurt.

“You’re blaming me for your inability to be better at anything else,” she uttered in a cold, blunt manner, “I don’t make you swim.” His mother crossed her arms and stared intently into his eyes, he finally looked back at her dark orbs with nothing but sorrow in his lighter eyes, “You swim because it’s the only thing you can do.”

His eyes flitted away immediately, filled with disdain at how certain she sounded. Flames coursed through his veins, seething with anger as his skin grew molten. Everything in his mind tried to scream at him to keep his mouth shout yet everything in his heart pushed towards the defence of his passion.

Jimin balled his fists, his nails digging hard into his skin to stop the tremors, “We both know it isn’t the one thing I can do.”

The defences he had built suddenly came crashing down when he realised, he had triggered something within her. Jimin watched her face go blank yet her eyes held something dark and lifeless, filled with something he couldn’t decipher.

“Is that why you’ve been skipping practice?” His mother asked, her voice was almost a whisper, he could notice shock in her eyes now, as well as…fear.

Jimin froze, his fiery blood now running ice cold as he immediately held himself again, “N-no I-” he stammered, shaking his head profusely.

“Jimin, sit down.”

His vision began to blur as he tightly shut his eyes and refused, “N- no-”

“I said sit down!” She boomed, shaking the floor beneath him as he struggled to stand upright.

His legs buckled slightly as he sat back down and felt his insides sink with him. His heart pounded in a desperate panic, frantically trashing around in the bars of his ribcage.

“Take off your slippers.”

His heart gave one last shove before stopping, the rising feeling of dread suffocated him, clogging his lungs as he shook his head again. Jimin cursed silently, he should have kept his mouth shut. His mother took a deeper breath with every second that passed as she watched her son sit there without making a move. She abruptly crouched down to snatch off one of his house slippers as he yelled in protests and tried to escape from her hold.

“No, wait- please!”

Her hand latched on to his leg with a vice-like grip, nails digging into his skin as she took off his slipper and pulled up the hem of his jeans. Then she caught sight of the darkening bruises and gruesomely sore blisters that decorated his usually, smooth creamy skin. The pain he saw in her eyes when she looked up at him felt like wires being pierced into his heart and ruthlessly yanked out again when she let go of his leg.

“You’re doing it again.” She whispered in disbelief, standing up and distancing herself from him.

He felt tears trail down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry.” He murmured softly, lips quivering slightly as he tasted the sharp saltiness slipping into his mouth.

His mother sat on a separate sofa, leaning forwards as she rested her head in her palms. “You’re not sorry.” She muttered quietly.

“Mother, I-”

“You’re not sorry, because you don’t understand.”

Jimin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, eyes squinting through his blurred vision, “Don’t understand what?”

Her head raised, dark eyes serious as her gaze grew harsh and sharp. Jimin tried to see what else her eyes held but she was too far away.

“That this passion will take away more than you can ever give.”

He gripped the arms of the chair so tightly that his nails began to dent the expensive material. Jimin felt his chest begin to rise and fall in an erratic rhythm as he felt a rush of emotions slam into him like a wall of concrete. The cold expression on her face, the empty silence, and the words that came out of her mouth. He couldn’t stand it.

Jimin pushed himself out of the sofa and stormed towards the staircase.

“Jimin.”

He hesitated, then eventually came to a halt before he could climb the stairs as though he was tethered to her and being yanked back by his chains.

“Skip practice again and I’ll make sure you never set foot into another dance studio.”

Jimin bit down on his lip, hard, holding back everything he wanted to say as the metallic taste of blood mixed with the saltiness of his tears. He pounded up the stairs, raced to his room and slammed the door behind him. Jimin’s frail body shook with every sob as he sunk to the floor and leaned against the door; the wood trembled with him, providing him the only company he could feel. His shaking fingers softly stroked one of his blisters as he gave a pathetic whimper. Jimin stared at his wounds and bruises knowing they would heal. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder if he ever would.

************************

The low whistling of the breeze outside, accompanied by the quiet sounds of sniffles filled the room as night fell, casting a dark and sombre shadow upon Jimin. He was curled up in his duvet, hugging his pillow and silently shedding tears into the soft fabric. The abrupt sound of footsteps quickly shocked him into roughly rubbing his wet face into his pillow before pretending to be asleep. The footsteps were heavier than his mother’s, causing his heart to lift up with relief when he realised it was his father.

“Hey, son.” His father greeted softly, his tone soothing enough to coax Jimin into opening his eyes and turning around.

Jimin gave a strained smile when he noticed him holding two mugs in his hands with an apologetic look on his face. He watched as his father set down the drinks on the bedside table and sat down on the empty side of the bed before expectantly opening his arms. Jimin sat up immediately and hugged him without hesitation as he let out a small “Dad-” whilst quietly crying into his shirt. His father gave a low hush whilst gently rocking his son side to side like when he was a baby. Moments passed as Jimin began to calm down whilst taking solace in his father’s love and warmth. He would sniffle every now and again, causing his father’s arms to slightly tighten protectively.

“Dad, what took you so long?” Jimin whispered.

“I had to work overtime at the lab,” he patted his hair softly, “sorry.”

After a couple more seconds, Jimin decided to reaffirm the fact that he was no longer a child anymore, so he gently removed himself from his father’s embrace. Once hit with the sudden coldness of not being held, he quickly leaned on him instead, puling the duvet up to his chin. His father merely gave a light chuckle before grabbing the mugs from the bedside table. Jimin took his hands out of his plush cocoon and immediately welcomed the tingling warm sensation to his fingers. He took a sip and smiled with a childlike glint in his brightening eyes. Despite his lack of a sweet tooth, he would always appreciate his father’s hot chocolate no matter the taste.

His father looked at his son dotingly, allowing him to have a few minutes of peace with his hot chocolate before he spoke.

“I know you and your mother had an argument whilst I was gone.” He stated, his voice filled with regret.

The hot chocolate suddenly felt scalding as Jimin stopped drinking abruptly.

“I understand that the things she said were hurtful, but she’s pretty torn up about it-” He paused when he noticed the cup in his son’s hands begin to shake slightly.

“I don’t care.” He mumbled.

“Jimin, come on you don’t mean that-”

“If she doesn’t care about my feelings then why should I care about hers?” Jimin argued, his tone cold despite the warmth that had run down his throat.

His father sighed with a dejected look in his brown eyes, “Just know that she does care…it’s just hard for her- there are just certain things that she’s finding difficult to cope with.”

Jimin had to close his eyes to stop himself from rolling them as he had to listen to yet another vague excuse from his father about his mother’s behaviour. He wanted to hear the real reasons from her personally rather than having to deal with her taking out her frustrations on him.

“However, Jimin, you’re not completely innocent either,” his father continued sternly, noticing how his son proceeded to avoid eye contact, “you’ve been lying to us.”

Jimin’s grip tightened around his mug, “I- I haven’t been lying-”

His father gave him a knowing look that immediately prompted him to try and defend himself.

“Not saying the whole truth isn’t exactly lying.” He declared stubbornly.

He watched as his father shook his head in complete disagreement, “Hiding something from someone can be just as bad as lying.” He spoke wisely, his deep voice as calm as the sleeping tides of the oceans.

Jimin stared into his hot chocolate, he thought back to the time he had ordered one for Jungkook. The doe-eyed boy remained in his mind as he reflected on whether he was also in the wrong for not telling him the whole truth. Then he realised how he had many chances to tell him, to let him know who he really was rather than pretending to be the person everyone wanted him to be.

His father continued, “When someone lies, they make themselves untrustworthy, but hiding the truth from someone means you find them untrustworthy.” He watched his son’s expression grow more and more regretful as he spoke.

Jimin let out a deep and sorrowful sigh as he came to terms with how Jungkook continuously tried to get to know him, he just wasn’t aware of how he wanted to know the real him.

“Jimin, something tells me that this isn’t just about your mother and I.” He commented in a matter of fact manner.

The blond blinked as though finally registering his surroundings, “I had an argument with Jungkook too.” He admitted quietly.

His father nodded in understanding, “What happened?”

“He caught me dancing.” Jimin answered bluntly.

“Just dancing?”

“With a friend.”

He snapped his fingers, “Aha! He was jealous-”

Jimin felt a prick of annoyance when he remembered how unnecessary Jungkook’s behaviour was. “And he had no right to be!”

“Well…it would be understandable, if he had a crush on you.”

Jimin’s cheeks reddened at the thought but quickly pushed it out of his mind, “He isn’t my boyfriend-”

His father faked a cough, “Not yet-”

“Dad!” Jimin blushed even more through his giggles and proceeded to sip his hot chocolate to try and calm down.

He chuckled before growing more solemn as he asked, “You didn’t tell him about your dancing, did you?”

Jimin’s heart ached when he recalled Jungkook’s look of disappointment and anger. He shook his head.

“If I were him, I’d be pretty upset if my crush had hidden something from me about themselves but shared it with someone else.”

He made eye contact with his father as soon as he said those words and let out an “Oh.”

His father gave him an understanding look, his warm brown eyes filled with love and empathy. Jimin didn’t need to say anything to prove that he now understood that Jungkook definitely had his reasons, it was written all over his distressed expression.

“I’m sure things were said in the heat of the moment that the both of you didn’t mean.”

Jimin groaned when he recalled their argument in Mrs Yi’s classroom, throwing his head back into the cushioned headboard.

His father sighed, “What did you say?”

He mumbled, “I pretty much told him that I’ll never be his…” he grimaced at the abrupt sound of his father’s laughter.

“So, you’ll never be his boyfriend?” He cackled.

“I- ugh-” Jimin blushed in embarrassment.

“What a dumbass thing to say you to your crush!”

“I obviously didn’t mean it!”

“Well, you better tell him!”

“I will!”

“Good!”

The pair erupted into fits of giggles and chuckles at their antics. After calming down when a couple moments passed, they went back to drinking their hot chocolate in a comfortable silence. Jimin couldn’t help but beam brightly after their talk, knowing that there was always a chance to apologise. He smiled into his cup, taking in the chocolatey warmth that oozed into his mouth with a sweetness he usually wouldn’t tolerate. What made it taste so good wasn’t the fact that his father had made sure not to add any sugar, but it was the special flavouring of love that somehow always managed to make it to his taste buds.

*************************

“I don’t get it,” Yoongi mumbled, clearly puzzled as he asked, “Why do they need you at the dinner in the first place?”

Namjoon listened to his friend’s voice resound from his phone on speaker and chose his words carefully as he did his black tie in his enormous mirror.

“I guess both companies are trying to show off their heirs.”

“Hm, it still seems strange, you obviously don’t want to go.”

He sighed at his messy attempt of tie, wishing Seokjin was there to do it for him like he usually would.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to do things in life that you don’t want to do.” He responded; his tone slightly dejected as he spoke.

Yoongi scoffed, “Not if you’re enough of a savage.”

He chuckled as he ran his hand through his hair, wondering if he should listen to his mother and gel it in order to neaten up his appearance. The image of his father’s strikingly similar gelled hair came to mind, causing him to quickly ruffle his white hair in defiance.

“Alright, Min Genius, how’s the song coming along?”

“What song?” he questioned, feigning ignorance in attempt to avoid answering.

Namjoon smirked, “The song you refuse to let me hear or know the title of.”

There was a hint of embarrassment in his voice as he spoke, “Ah, that song…it’s- uh- not going as well as I’d like.”

“Well, it is your first time writing a song all by yourself.” Namjoon reminded him, “What are you finding difficult?”

Yoongi let out a deep breath, “I just want the lyrics to have more…meaning.”

Namjoon nodded absentmindedly despite Yoongi not being able to see him. He yanked at his tie, throwing it on the navy carpeted floor.

“What’s your inspiration?”

“Well-uh…”

“You can’t tell me that?”

Yoongi shook his head, blushing more when he realised Namjoon couldn’t see him. Yet, there was something about his silence that made Namjoon think of a certain person who Yoongi couldn’t help but favourite.

Namjoon gasped, “Is it-”

“Shut it-”

He laid back in his baby blue sheets and relaxed as though he didn’t need to be downstairs in the next 10 minutes.

“It’s been years, man, go for it!” He encouraged through the phone, taking it to his ear and turning off speaker.

Yoongi was adamant as he deadpanned, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Min Dumbass, shoot your shot!”

“You’ve got some nerve-”

Namjoon could only chuckle as Yoongi spouted a rant about putting some respect on his name and their age difference of six months. He ended up just smiling knowingly as he was aware of how his friend was just trying to divert his attention elsewhere in an attempt to get him to ramble with him.

“Yoongi.”’

“I mean, what even is respect-”

“I suggest you remind yourself of your inspiration. The more you feel, the more you write.” He said calmly.

Yoongi paused before mumbling a small “thanks”.

“No problem, man.”

Yoongi huffed playfully, “You think you’re some relationship guru when you’ve only dated and are still dating the same person.”

Namjoon chuckled lightly, “You’ve only ever liked one person and still like that person.”

“Bro, I ought to-”

“Ooh, gotta go, just got a text from my one and only~” he sang joyfully.

Yoongi made a gagging sound as he hung up, causing Namjoon to let out a couple more laughs as he read Seokjin’s text.

‘I can’t stop thinking about outfits that would look cute as hell on you, come meet me in the mall!’

Namjoon grinned, wondering why he still blushed slightly at Seokjin’s use of heart emojis whenever he was in a good mood.

‘So, you can’t stop thinking about me?’ He typed back cheekily with a kissy face at the end.

He quickly got a reply and his heart soared when he read the words, ‘Honey, we’ve established this.’

Namjoon relayed Yoongi’s words in his mind as he shrugged off his blazer and opened his shirt buttons, hastily ripping one off by accident. After a few minutes he had changed from a suit to a black graphic hoodie and jeans. As he carefully wore one of the expensive jackets Jin had bought him, he came to the decision that he definitely was enough of a savage. And with that, he smirked into his mirror and called up Jin as he jogged down the grand staircase.

His mother failed to hold back a gasp when her son came down in everything he wasn’t supposed to wear.

“Namjoon, what are you doing? Go upstairs and change!” She ordered, her tone verging on hysterical as she struggled to compose herself.

His father glared at his outfit choice, “I see you’re intent on wasting our time.” He commented coolly, annoyance still apparent in his tone.

“Hey, babe!”

Both his parents stared at him in shock.

“Yeah, I’m on my way out of the house.” He continued, pretending to be absolutely oblivious to their presence.

“Namjoon!” His father exclaimed, completely abandoning his cool façade.

Namjoon feigned a surprised expression as he put his phone to his chest, “Oh, sorry about that, dad, I’m talking to Seokjin- you know, my boyfriend of 5 years?”

“Stop this behaviour at once,” he commanded, “we’re leaving for dinner with the Cheong’s in-”

Namjoon retorted with composure, “You’re leaving for dinner with the Cheong’s. I’m going to meet my boyfriend at the mall.”

His mother cut in, her tone no longer as calm as usual, “Namjoon, you need to be at the dinner-”

“I need to be where I want to be, which just so happens to be with the person I’m in love with, not some heir of a rival company you’re trying to set me up with.” He interrupted in a matter of act manner.

The low muffled sound of Seokjin’s voice made its way out from his phone which he put up to his ear without hesitation.

“I don’t know about me wearing green, baby- well that’s easy for you to say! Everything looks good on you~”

He spoke with zero to no filter as he nonchalantly strolled past his parents. They were rooted to the spot, somehow shocked motionless at the audacity of their son.

His mother’s tone grew desperate instead as she said, “Son, it’s important-”

Namjoon held his phone to his chest again, “It’s important to the company,” he shot back, before looking at his parents with the sincerest look in his eyes, “well, he’s important to me.”

They said nothing in response, as though they simply couldn’t argue with him in any way shape or form. Not when he felt so strongly for a certain Kim Seokjin. He gave them a triumphant look, knowing they had given up as his father wordlessly grabbed his keys and his mother picked up her purse.

He put the phone back to his ear after pulling on his black boots and spoke loud enough for both of them to still hear him as he asked, “Do you think we should get couple outfits?”

Seokjin giggled, “Honey, that’s corny as hell.”

Yet, he couldn’t help but find his favourite pair of matching outfits in the store and immediately take them to the till.


	23. Wave 23

Jungkook felt his lungs scream for air as he took a huge gasp once he reached the end of the pool. He stayed there, panting, with no intention of getting out until he heard his coach say exactly what he wanted to hear. Coach Choi looked at the stopwatch, then back at the kid with a pitying look on his face. Jungkook glanced up to catch his expression only to recognise what it meant. His head lowered, he felt the cool water lick and slobber at his chin like a beast trying to devour him again- begging him to swim again. He cursed under his breath before asking for an answer that seemed all too inevitable.

“Did I beat him?”

His coach shook his head solemnly, “You were 4 seconds off from his personal best.”

Jungkook bit down on his tongue to stop himself from yelling out in frustration, snatching off his cap and goggles before slamming his fist down on the ledge. Four seconds- four fucking seconds away from someone who doesn’t want to swim. He felt the searing feeling of rage swarm through him as it began to envelope him. Jungkook never thought there’d be a day when he held so much anger towards Jimin. He felt a burning weight on his chest as his thoughts became consumed by him. How could Jimin beat him with such ease at something he hates? Something Jungkook has loved for as long as he could remember. He leaned his forehead against the ledge with his eyes closed.

The burning subsided and was replaced with a coldness that ran through him and made the water feel as though it had completely iced over, with him lodged inside it forever. Swimming was all he had.

Yet, Jimin had something else…he had dance.

“Jungkook.”

His mind filled with images of seeing Jimin and Daehyun together in each other’s arms and dancing like they were the only two people that existed. They were in their own world, somewhere that he could never belong.

“Jungkook, it’s time for you to head home. I won’t be giving you a separate practice session again.” Coach Choi spoke sternly.

He finally snapped his head up to pay attention to what his coach was saying and immediately disagreed.

“But I need more practice! How could I even hope to beat him if-”

“If he’s not here,” Coach Choi interrupted, “it’s easier to beat a rival when they’re actually going up against you.”

Jungkook huffed, “But I don’t to swim with him.”

Coach Choi reached his hand towards Jungkook, the boy stared at it for a few seconds with a defiant look on his face. Then he eventually gave in and allowed his coach to help pull him out of the water.

“Why not? You two bring out the best in each other, well- at least you used to. What happened between the two of you?” he asked curiously.

Jungkook crossed his arms and stared out into the pool instead of making eye contact with him. Jimin walked right back into his mind, he tried to feel the same anger he had felt before, but the match struck out, the flame wouldn’t appear let alone a spark. There was something else, but he just couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was feeling. The thought of Jimin and Daehyun still made him want to rip off the dance captain’s arms but he could no longer feel any fury against Jimin himself.

“I- I don’t know, we just…fell out, I guess.” Jungkook muttered.

“Something happened, I’m not stupid, Jeon.” Coach Choi said sarcastically.

He tried to picture Jimin as the problem that caused them to break apart, but he couldn’t. Jungkook could only imagine his beautiful, soft smile and his warm golden-brown eyes that never once looked at him with pity- no matter how many times he lost. If anything, maybe it was himself who was the problem. Then it dawned on him how he had made those same eyes fill with tears instead of stars. His pretty, plump lips quivered instead of smiled and his voice…held so much pain and sorrow- especially when he even called his name, practically pleading for him to stop. He had caused it all.

“I said some things…. that I shouldn’t have said.” He answered, his tone wavering under the weight of regret.

“Well, how about saying the things you should have said?”

“Like what?”

“Sorry.” Coach Choi stated bluntly with a kind smile.

Jungkook sighed, there was a part of him that still held on to the idea of Jimin hating what he loved. There was still the memory of Jimin sharing a part of himself with Daehyun that he hid from him. And he couldn’t forget how he pretty much said that he’d never be his. Jungkook shook his head at his own thoughts when he realised that he wanted what he couldn’t have.

Then he felt it. That same feeling from before was only stronger and clearer but now it seemed to be all that he could feel. It almost winded him, pushing into him like a tidal wave that aimed to crush his insides as he felt a hand forcefully grab on to his ribcage and pull. There was a certain pain in his chest that made him think he had just fallen from a great height and then he realised, ah- it was heartbreak. Then with a sorrowful acceptance as he thought about the many times he had seen and heard that word, he thought to himself-

I never knew the heart actually ached.

************************

Jimin took a deep breath, inhaling the flowery aroma of the café mixed with the wafting smell of coffee beans, then let out an exhausted sigh when he was sure the place was empty. The windows displayed the darkening skies as the moon shone brighter and brighter with every passing minute. He stood at the till diligently waiting for a customer or a few that would pop in every now again. His demeanour would change rapidly whenever he heard the familiar jingle of the bells, his eyes shining bright with excitement at the thought of human interaction. Jimin tried to distract himself during those lonesome hours, cleaning, trying different recipes and even doing stationary ballet moves. His night shifts used to be far more entertaining when he was with Jungkook, but it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that the brunet had changed his rota in order to avoid him. Jimin stared into the spotless counter with a downcast expression that seemed darker than the night sky above.

His boss suddenly burst through the staff doors with needless speed only to see that there were no customers to attend to. Her swishing ponytail came to a halt as she checked her watch and scoffed.

“I have no idea why that kid insisted on working a later shift,” she propped her hands on her hips, “what’s the point of working during the dead hours?”

Jimin gripped the dirty mug in his hands so tightly that he ended up dropping it in the sink with a loud clanking sound.

His boss turned to him, “You alright there, Jimin?”

He nodded quickly, simply sending her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him as though trying to analyse his actions before her ponytail whipped around at the sound of bells jingling. An exhausted study group walk in, geared up with their backpacks, laptops, and chargers, looking as though they were in for a long night. The boss grinned at their misfortune and sped over to the till to take over. Jimin greeted them, his face lighting up when he recognised his good friend, Suya. The rest of the group took turns to order whilst she moved over to be opposite Jimin.

“What’s up, brat?” She greeted in a lifeless tone as she leaned on the counter.

He smiled, “Hey there, Soya milk, you seem dead.”

Suya groaned, running her hands through her messy bob, “I am.” She muttered.

“What happened?”

“I have to do a presentation with this lazy ass group for Physics class, which I ended up doing all by myself, but we’ve just found out that if the whole group don’t contribute then we all fail.”

“How will your teacher even prove they haven’t contributed?”

“You’re not allowed to read the presentation from the board.” She deadpanned.

Jimin shook his head, “When is it due…” he took notice of her drooping eyelids, untidy waves of hair and crookedly placed glasses- of course, it was due tomorrow morning.

“Go get your coffee-” he ordered like a doctor prescribing medicine to a patient, “and add soya milk~”

Suya nodded with her eyes closed before pinching his nose and moving over to the till. After ordering, she shuffled back over to Jimin as she waited for her coffee.

She rubbed her eyes as she spoke, “Where’s your boyfriend?”

Jimin blushed an embarrassed shade of pink as he let out a “Huh?”

She merely blinked, looking around and seemingly confused as to why they weren’t working together, “Ah, I mean your future boyfriend.”

“I suggest you change his name back to Jeon Jungkook.” Jimin replied with despondence in his golden-brown eyes that began to lose their light.

Suya shook her head, “Nope, it’s already on the marriage certificate.”

Jimin gave her an incredulous look, “Marriage?”

“I can see your future, kid, you two are soulmates!” She continued, bleary-eyed yet somehow able to maintain enough excitement to cheer on the idea of him and Jungkook being made for each other.

The blond simply shook his head, smiling at her endearing yet sudden positivity. However, he tried to push her delusions aside. Made for each other? Jungkook couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as him apparently.

He put on a grin like it was second nature to him, “I can see your future too,” he leaned forward like he was telling a secret, “if you don’t sit your ass down and help your group you’ll fail-”

Suya threw her head back and whined, “UGH! Fine!”, then she lowered her voice and cheekily added, “Just invite me to your wedding-”

Jimin waved a dishcloth at her to shoo her away as she scurried over to the table with her fellow classmates.

He continued with his task, letting out an inaudible sigh and losing focus as he picked up the mug. Jimin paused as he began to realise that every time, he looked forward to hearing the light ring at the door, he hoped there’d be a certain doe-eyed brunet walking through.

As though the universe wanted to mock him, the bells sounded again. He tried to avoid his seemingly inevitable disappointment by simply not looking up. Yet, the all too familiar sound of heavy platform boots pounded into his ears like the drumming of a marching band. Jimin couldn’t possibly pass up the chance of seeing him again. And his heart rate skyrocketed when he did.

Jungkook greeted his boss respectfully, even saying hi to the dead-eyed study group before finally locking eyes with Jimin. They stared at each other for what felt like minutes but were only seconds passing by; seconds that their boss counted with confusion laced between her brows. It got to the point that she had to wave her hand in front of Jimin’s face, he blinked a couple times as he blushed under Jungkook’s all-encompassing gaze.

“Seriously, what’s with these two?” She muttered under her breath as she shook her head at how weird they were being.

Jungkook seemed to finally come to his senses as he recalled his ability to speak, “Boss, I thought I’d be working a later a shift.” He deadpanned, no longer sparing Jimin a glance.

She retorted sassily, “It is a later shift-”

Jimin felt the rocket ship abruptly swoop down and crash-land into his chest, “I’ll be finishing soon.” He uttered softly, masking the disappointed expression in his eyes with his bangs as he tried to focus all his attention back on to that one mug.

Jungkook said nothing, merely walking through the staff door. Yet, the lingering stare he sent Jimin when he wasn’t looking didn’t go unnoticed by their boss.

“Oh…” She muttered.

The café owner went over to Jimin’s side by the sink, looking up at the boy as she spoke, “Jimin, I was hoping you could stay just a little longer. I’ll pay you for overtime-”

He immediately caught on, “Why are you’re trying to get me alone with him?”

“Because you’re friends! You two need to be by each other’s side no matter your differences!” She argued enthusiastically.

Jimin looked away from the mug and gave her a deadass expression.

She huffed, “Your chemistry is also good for business.”

Jimin could only chuckle lightly before cutting himself off when he heard the staff doors open. He had to fight the urge to look over at Jungkook yet again.

“Jungkook, lucky you! You’ll be having company during your shift.” She stated, her tone somehow commanding.

For some reason there seemed to be panic in his eyes as he quickly tried to argue,“But-”

“No.” She deadpanned.

Then she simply disappeared through those same doors and came out again at rapid speed with her coat on and apron gone.

Her ponytail whipped around to the pair behind the counter, “By the way, I don’t know which one of you rats have been stealing the shaped marshmallows but when I find out who it is they’ll be on toilet duty for a week!”

Then she waved them all a goodbye before storming through her café, the swift clickety-clack of her heels vanishing along with the jingling bells.

A silence clasped the two as they tried to ignore each other completely. An hour passed without a single word passing between them, yet the glances were countless. They were playing the waiting game, filled with uncertainty as they wondered who would apologise first. Whenever they moved into close proximity with the other, their hearts would quicken in unison only for the moment to briefly end, with the pretence of simply grabbing a mug or ingredient that just so happened to be the near the other. If it weren’t for the infrequent meltdowns of the study group and a random customer popping in and out, the cold quietness between the two would have prompted an action from Jimin. Yet, there was still a part of him that wanted to hear the words ‘I’m sorry’ from Jungkook’s lips.

“Jimin,” he uttered quietly.

The blond nearly dropped a mug again as he tensed in anticipation, he finally built up the courage to stare into Jungkook’s doe-eyes, hoping the brunet wouldn’t avoid his gaze and knowing that it would break him if he did.

Jungkook moved closer to him with apparent hesitation in the way he shuffled and tried not to have their shoulders brush against each other. His eyes were almost completely transfixed by Jimin’s golden-brown orbs before he wavered and looked away. Jimin’s eyelashes lowered in defeat as his heart slowly and dejectedly slid down to the floor.

“It’s been an hour and you’re only on your fourth mug,” Jungkook’s hand automatically reached out with the intent of resting upon Jimin’s arms, yet he stopped himself and his fingers merely grazed Jimin’s sweater. The blond envied the fabric, wishing it were his skin that he had touched instead.

Jungkook clenched his hand into a fist and brought it to his side before continuing, “I’ll wash the dishes instead.” He muttered, his voice sounded almost as empty as he felt.

“Oh, ok.” Jimin mumbled.

He heaved a disappointed sigh as he headed over to the till and leaned against the counter. Then he abruptly stood up straight again at the sound of the bells ringing softly, a young man in all black entered and brought a wintry chill down Jungkook’s back which was pretty out of season. His eyes never looked up from the sink yet there was something about whoever this customer was that just made him full to the brim with discomfort.

“Welcome to Déjà Brew- ah, Daehyun, what brings you here?” Jimin asked, an adorably confused expression on his face.

Jungkook completely missed the sponge as he squeezed out soap, he gritted his teeth as his whole body tensed, denting the plastic bottle with his fingers.

Daehyun chuckled, “I’d say I came for coffee-”

Jimin gave a small embarrassed gasp and a cute giggle that unknowingly made the hearts of two men sprint- racing for his. He scratched the back of his neck, “Of course, you came for coffee, I-”

“But, seeing you seems to be way more motivating.” He said with a low tone, leaning forward closer to the till as Jimin subconsciously inched away and gave a nervous laugh.

Jungkook gripped the sponge so tight that it almost completely drained, he tried with all his might to not break anything.

“What would you like to order?”

Daehyun stuffed his hands into the pockets of his long black coat and huffed as he read the menus above.

“I might have to complain about the lack of choices here.” He stated with an unsatisfied tone.

Jimin blinked, turning around to see the many options available on the large menus.

He whipped his head back around, “What could you possibly want that isn’t on there?”

“I don’t see your name on there.” He spoke smoothly.

Jungkook attempted to keep his composure on the outside but was cursing loudly into the void of his mind.

“Seriously, Daehyun!” Jimin joked with a playful giggle masking how thrown off he was.

The brunet failed to block out his laughter, hating how he wasn’t the reason for his smile. He thoroughly scrubbed the plate he was holding, his mind yelled, ‘Just take his fucking order-’

“I’ll have an americano to go.”

Jimin nodded and immediately set out to make it. Daehyun watched like it was a show, his eyes never leaving the blond as he got a paper cup and quickly made the drink with hot water and an espresso shot. Jungkook even felt a little relief from the fact that an americano was quick and easy.

Jimin mused, “A black coffee for a guy in all bla- Daehyun, why do you always wear black?”

“Why do you always look beautiful?” Daehyun questioned back with a playful grin.

Jimin almost spilled the drink whilst trying to put the lid on top and this time he couldn’t stop himself from blushing, which Jungkook noticed as he finally looked up at the pair. The brunet cursed under his breath as he tried with all his might to hold on to the last shred of self-control he had. His patience was draining dangerously fast as he realised, Daehyun hadn’t paid and left yet. He stuck to Jimin like a piece of gum clinging to the bottom of a shoe and flirted non-stop. Jungkook might not have lost it as quickly as he did if it hadn’t been for Jimin’s constant soft giggles and flustered blushing. It took one last compliment for him to finally lose it.

Jungkook let the plate in his hands drop into the sink with a loud clang that brought everyone’s attention.

“To go.” He uttered simply, his tone somehow calm but filled with anger.

Daehyun cocked his head to the side challengingly, “What?”

Jungkook dried his hands, tossing the cloth on to his shoulder as he puffed out his chest and glared him down.

“You ordered an americano to go, but you’re not doing any going-”

“Jungkook-” Jimin attempted to cut him off, only for Daehyun to speak over him.

“Oh, it’s your overly jealous boyfriend- ah wait,” His eyes narrowed as he looked away from the blond and pierced into Jungkook, “you’re not actually dating.”

Jimin turned from Jungkook and spoke just to get interrupted again, “Daehyun-”

The brunet came closer, standing next to Jimin as he gripped the counter, leaning forward threateningly, “And what makes you think you’ve got a fucking chance?”

Daehyun’s tone grew venomous as he shot back with, “I’m not a fucking jerk like you-”

Jungkook’s hands let go of the counter, rapidly turning into fists. He lifted one of them by an inch, but Jimin was quick to gently grab his wrist. Jungkook felt every flame of rage within him disperse into mere embers as Jimin’s soft hands touching his skin felt like a cool downpour dousing a fire.

Suya took note of Jimin’s annoyance from her table and decided to say something despite enjoying her front row seat to some drama.

“Guys, your love triangle is very entertaining, but we’ve got to concentrate for our presentation tomorrow!”

Jimin sent her a grateful smile which she returned with an OK sign and a wink.

Jungkook took a deep breath and Daehyun nodded towards the study group, bowing politely in apology. The dance captain payed for his americano, making sure to leave a very generous tip for a certain blond.

Jimin threw on a warm smile that almost made Daehyun do a double-take, “Thank you, come again next time-”

“Don’t.” Jungkook deadpanned, still glaring at the dance captain.

“Jungkook, we can’t talk like that to customers.” Jimin sighed, “Sorry about him, Daehyun.”

He felt Jungkook’s hand tense, making him subconsciously smooth his thumb over his skin in an attempt to calm him down. He could’ve sworn he felt the brunet’s temperature cool at his touch.

“Don’t worry about it, Jimin. I’ll make sure to come again next time and it was nice seeing you.” Daehyun responded almost triumphantly, his eyes glittered as he gave a him a wink before darkening when he looked at the brunet next to him. He picked up his americano, “And Jungkook,” after sipping his drink he ended with, “you don’t own Jimin.”

Daehyun’s black coat swished around him gracefully as he left the café, taking with him the frosty breeze he had somehow brought. Yet, there was still a prick of ice that he had left lodged into Jungkook’s mind, which dug deeper when Jimin let go of his wrist. He watched as the blond continued working and all he could do was regret his actions without understanding them. Jungkook begrudgingly admitted to himself that Daehyun was right about one thing. He didn’t own him. Yet, whenever they made eye contact and Jimin’s golden-brown orbs sparkled like his glinting medals, he couldn’t help but wish he did.


	24. Wave 24

Jimin leaned over the counter, turning towards the study group, “Suya, we’re closing in 5 minutes, OK!”

Multiple groans were heard along with shocked exclamations, Suya whipped her head around to Jimin; her glasses nearly flying off as she spoke lowly, “We’re doomed.”

She trudged over to him and slumped over the counter.

He knocked on her forehead, “Not with that big brain of yours-”

Suya scoffed, her head shooting up as she pointed her finger between her brows, “My big brain isn’t the problem here-” she narrowed her eyes as she pointed at her group, “it’s theirs! It’s like their brain cells have been turned off for God knows how long…” Suya began to trail off from her rant as she noticed how Jungkook wasn’t hovering next to him like he used to. She nodded over to the silent brunet, “What’s with your boyfriend?”

Jimin rolled his eyes, “I don’t have a-”

“Bro, he’s right there-”

“Suya!” he warned with a blush as he hoped Jungkook couldn’t hear them from the sink.

“Did something happen between you and Daehyun?” She asked curiously.

Jimin gave an exasperated sigh, “No, we’re just friends.”

Suya pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, “To be honest, I hope it stays that way.”

The blond cocked his head to side, he genuinely had no interest in becoming anything more, yet he couldn’t help but wonder if there would be a problem if he did.

“Why?” he asked.

“What’s your impression of Daehyun, Jimin?”

He blinked, not expecting a question to his question, he thought to himself for a few moments before answering with “Too good to be true.”

Suya gave a single nod, “Exactly, just keep in mind that it may not be true, his façade- I suggest you don’t fall for it…or for him.”

Then she ruffled his hair with a friendly smile before waving goodbye and walking with the rest of her study group. Jimin stood there, frozen in confusion for a few seconds before waving back and shouting, “Good luck!” before they left through the door.

Suya yelled back, “We don’t need luck, we need a damn miracle!”, as she closed the door behind them.

He chuckled into the silence, still puzzled as to what Suya meant. Jimin tried to picture Daehyun’s midnight eyes, sultry and daringly bold yet somewhat murky, whatever intentions he had for Jimin still remained unclear. Fall for him? Jimin had a different height in mind. He turned to watch Jungkook washing the dishes, easily recalling the way his warm, brown eyes always shimmered brightly, filling him with a sense of clarity he couldn’t feel with Daehyun. He was ready to do that leap, even if meant Jungkook wouldn’t catch him.

Jimin picked up a clean mug, despite there being no customers and added cocoa powder before taking a deep breath.

“I wish I told you the truth.” He spoke calmly.

Jungkook completely froze at the sound of Jimin’s voice, let alone what he said.

“I should’ve realised that you just wanted me to open up to you,” Jimin continued solemnly, pouring hot water into the mug, “to be…closer to you.”

The brunet dried his hands and rested them on the edge of the sink, his head lowered as he thought about how he desperately wanted to know the real him- but not like this.

“I’d like to think that you were angrier about how I shared a part of myself with someone else rather than seeing me in their arms.”

Jungkook continued to say nothing, fearing his answer would ruin what Jimin was trying to rebuild as he came to terms with how the blond was wrong. Most of his rage had stemmed from seeing Jimin with Daehyun and he hated it. Yet, he didn’t know to stop it.

The blond added a bit of milk to the mug, “I guess I assumed you wouldn’t accept who I really am because…well- others haven’t.”

Jungkook looked at Jimin’s side profile just in time to catch a flash of a pained expression on his face before the blond turned away. He tensed, wishing he could let go of everything and just hold him.

“I thought you’d be happier with this version of me,” Jimin stirred before sprinkling in sugar, his voice quietened, “Park Jimin, the fastest swimmer.”

The brunet watched him cautiously as he stirred, a sad faint smile appeared on his lips as he spoke, “Most people prefer that Jimin.” Then he sighed softly, “But I had to ruin it by loving dance.”

Jimin wandered over to a cabinet whilst Jungkook’s mouth opened and closed again before a single word could escape. The blond took out some vanilla extract and stirred it into the mug, slowly and gently as though the harshest swirl would smash it to pieces.

“I used to love swimming.” He uttered.

Jimin stopped stirring. Jungkook somehow stopped himself from lunging over to him, he wondered why he couldn’t let go of whatever was holding him back. Seeing Jimin subtly wince from a mere memory made him want to know what it was and how he could protect him from it. The blond blinked it away, bringing himself back to reality as he gave the drink one last stir before heading to another cabinet. Jungkook tried to see what he was doing but Jimin’s back was to him. Until the blond turned around abruptly. Jungkook quickly faced the sink and picked up the sponge then he somehow forgot how to wash dishes.

Jimin lowered his eyes to the floor, heaving a deep breath as he tried and failed to supress the overwhelming wave of emotions he felt. Then he walked towards the brunet with conviction, yet with every step he took, his heart trembled in his ribcage.

Jungkook dropped the sponge in his hand when he felt a surge of warmth engulf him from behind, melting through his icy barrier as Jimin hugged him. His hold continued to tighten, fearing that Jungkook would push him away yet the brunet stood completely still. He could feel Jimin’s heartbeat pounding against his back, his forehead gently pressing into his neck and he could feel the hairs on his skin stand up in shock at their close proximity.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke, his voice wavering yet muffled as he spoke into Jungkook’s shirt, “I said things I really didn’t mean, an- and I should’ve trusted you.” Jimin let out a shaky breath, unknowingly causing goose bumps to appear on the back of Jungkook’s neck, “You’ve been so vulnerable with me, yet I-”

Jimin immediately silenced when he felt Jungkook’s hands rest upon his arms that were tightly wrapped around his torso. He felt the blond shiver slightly, wondering if his hands were cold or if he had just missed his touch that much.

Jimin raised his head on top of Jungkook’s shoulder, before snuggling into the crook of his neck; unaware of how the brunet was on the verge of spontaneously combusting. Jungkook felt lightheaded from the feeling of his soft lips ever so slightly pressed against his skin. Jimin had to berate himself from almost getting carried away as he thought about placing a gentle kiss on his cheek right then and there.

“I think I’ve started to like swimming again,” he said quietly. Jungkook could feel his lips become a smile as he added with a whisper, “only when I swim with you.”

The brunet remained speechless as he felt Jimin’s arms begin to loosen, he had to hold himself back from gripping on to the blond. Jimin took off his apron and walked through the staff doors. He came back out after a few moments, sparing one last glance towards Jungkook before heading trough the exit. When his senses finally came to him, Jungkook looked up just in time to hear the melancholy tune of the bells. He cursed, hating himself for not at least watching him leave.

Everything inside him ached at the loss of warmth. Then he spotted a mug that held whatever Jimin had made. Jungkook picked it up curiously, peering inside to see two heart shaped marshmallows bobbing in a chocolatey brown, frothy liquid. A loving smile reached his lips as he remembered his boss’ warning. Then he took a sip, suddenly feeling the warmth return like it had never left, soothing all the hurt he had felt. Jungkook thought back to when Jimin had first made him a drink yet this one was the sweetest. He had to continue drinking only to realise that there wasn’t any coffee. Not a trace of a bitterness between them at all.

***********************

The streaks of bright sunlight pouring through the window became silvery and pale. The two thespians continued rehearsing, unaware of the passing hours as they got lost in their script. They sang and dance in the wide space of Taehyung’s bedroom until one of them eventually ran out breath. The dark-haired boy threw himself on his bed, script in hand as he watched Haemin continue to sing and dance in awe. He simply couldn’t keep up with all his energy; the boy was tireless. Taehyung sat up, gazing at him with a fond smile as he enjoyed the performance for a few more minutes, only for Haemin to pause and wink at him. He changed the song-

_“Sandy, can’t you see~”_

Taehyung whined, “I’m not singing-”

Haemin slid on his knees across the floor, _“I’m in misery!”_

“No, I’m not being Sandy, damnit!”

_“We made a start~”_

Taehyung pushed him away playfully with his foot, Haemin rolled away like he had just gotten flung across the room.

 _“Now we’re apart!”_ He sang back as he reached out to Taehyung with longing in his eyes.

The dark-haired boy could only laugh at his antics as Haemin continued with his performance despite his protests. Haemin quickly ran over to Taehyung’s bed and attempted to drag him up with him whilst singing-

_“Oh, Sandy, Oh Sandy, Sandy!”_

And with one last pull, Taehyung finally got up, stumbling into Haemin’s arms as he rolled his eyes at the boy’s triumphant smirk. He sighed before deciding to give in, knowing Haemin simply didn’t know what ‘give up’ meant.

 _“Someday, when high school is done~”_ Taehyung sang sweetly, the shock was apparent in Haemin’s eyes, but his acting skills masked everything else. Taehyung grinned as he ran a hand through Haemin’s soft brown curls. _“Somehow, some way,”_ his hand travelled to gently land on the side of his cheek, _“our two worlds will be one~”_

Taehyung’s voice soothed the air around them; calmer than the autumn breeze outside could ever hope to be. He remained unaware of his effect on Haemin, yet he became very aware of how his hazel eyes held an unnatural twinkle that reminded him of blinking stage lights. They sang harmoniously together, their voices blending perfectly like two complimentary flavours as they subconsciously moved closer.

_“Oh, Sandy~”_

_“Oh, Danny~”_

They sang the last note in unison as they gazed ‘lovingly’ at one another. Haemin leaned into Taehyung’s smooth palms and caressing fingers, his head cocking to the side as his dimple appeared. Taehyung smirked knowingly before pinching his cheek.

“Haemin, you really are cute-”

His phone rang abruptly, Taehyung immediately let go, slipping out of his arms before answering his phone.

“Hey, Hobi,” He spoke with a radiant smile, “Nah, I’m not busy-”

Haemin felt a sting as he looked over at Tae’s abandoned script, quickly hiding his look of disappointment as though it was never there. He’s not busy, huh? Haemin turned away, huffing slightly as he thought to himself, I’ll just make myself busy-

Taehyung lounged on his bed whilst talking to Hoseok on the phone with a content look on his face whilst Haemin was intent on doing a walking handstand.

“Yeah, I know right-” Tae gasped when he heard a loud thump and looked up to see Haemin practically folding himself like an omelette, “HAEMIN, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU BREAK YOUR NECK-”

Hoseok couldn’t help but laugh at how out of context Tae’s yelling was but questioned why Haemin was at his place at such a late hour.

Tae smacked his own forehead, “It’s passed 10! We were rehearsing, we didn’t even realise- HAEMIN I WILL BREAK YOU IF YOU BREAK YOURSELF!”

Hoseok let out another laugh before they quickly said their goodbyes. Taehyung lunged out of bed, launching himself on to Haemin as he tackled him. They wrestled for a couple moments before Haemin tapped out and crawled away pathetically.

“Check your phone-” Taehyung ordered.

He did as he was told and let out a ‘Ah, fudge cakes and fiddlesticks!”

Tae blinked at him, “What?”

“I’ve got 15 missed calls from my mother.” Haemin answered with pure fear on his face.

Tae facepalmed, “I meant what the hell was ‘fudge cakes and fiddlesticks’, but yeah I told you not to put your phone on silent.”

Haemin looked away shyly, causing Tae to raise an eyebrow, “My grandma doesn’t want me to swear and I have to put my phone on silent to concentrate.”

The dark-haired boy giggled at his cuteness and adorable nature as he got up from the floor to sit on his bed. Haemin joined him, his frightened gaze never leaving his phone.

“You’re so precious~” Taehyung teased as he ruffled the boy’s curls.

Haemin jokingly smacked his hand, pulling on his leather jacket that he refused to take off as he faked a tough expression, “I’m not.”

His phone suddenly rang, and it slipped out of his hand as he jumped in fear.

Taehyung laughed, “Are you even tough enough to be Danny Zuko?”

Haemin beat his chest with his fist, flexing his surprisingly muscular arms as he picked up his phone, “Of course I am! I’m tougher than tough- Mama, I’m sorry I-”

Tae sniggered behind his hand, muffling his laughter. He watched the way Haemin’s face fell and his lips grew pouty as he listened to his mother’s ranting, not daring to interrupt.

“Yes, mama.” He murmured quietly after getting scolded for a few minutes.

Once the call ended, he threw himself on to Taehyung without an ounce of hesitation, tightly wrapping his arms around him as he whined childishly about wishing he could stay. Tae couldn’t move, not realising that he wasn’t even trying to get out of his hold. There was something about his friend’s embrace that filled his insides with energy, as though he was bursting with arrays of bright rainbows and glittering meteor showers. When Haemin eventually let go, Tae blinked at him in confusion, wondering how he could exude such a joyful force whilst expertly masking what he really held inside.

Haemin winked, flashing his dimple as he said “Bye, Sandy!”

Taehyung rolled his eyes but something about the hazel-eyed boy made him want to keep him close, “Do you want me to drive you home?”

Haemin jumped up, throwing finger guns at him as he walked backwards towards Tae’s door, “It’s alright, baby, I’ve got my car for a reason.”

Tae made sure to walk him to the front door, then he paused at the doorway whilst Haemin continued. It felt like there was a string connected to his retreating figure, pulling on Taehyung to get closer. He walked him to his car, too.

“Thanks for coming over and rehearsing with me.” Tae spoke sincerely, rubbing his arms as the biting cold nipped at his exposed skin, piercing through his thin t shirt.

Haemin tried not to think too hard about why Tae decided to come outside despite the chill of the night wind.

“Thanks for having me.” He responded with a sweet smile, surprisingly removing his leather jacket, and placing it around Tae’s shoulders.

Taehyung couldn’t figure out why his cheeks were heating up in spite of the cold.

“W-what was the point- I’m heading back inside-” He stammered.

“Something to remember me by.” Haemin cut in coolly, placing his hands in his pockets and sending him a dangerous smirk.

Taehyung scoffed, “We’re seeing each other at school tomorrow.”

Haemin deftly swung his keys around his finger, “And until then, I’ll miss you-”

“This isn’t as cute as you think.” Taehyung deadpanned.

“See ya, sweet cheeks.” Haemin grinned, before placing a chaste kiss on his cheek.

His blush deepened dramatically, only veiled by the night sky, “What the hell was that?”

Haemin cocked his head to the side innocently as he opened his car door.

“Acting.”

And with that he drove off into the night, leaving his friend dumbfounded.

***********************

Jungkook carefully opened the front door in case his mother was asleep. He put on his slippers and let out a loud sigh; everything inside him and on him felt heavy. His white collared shirt and black trousers were like weights, suffocating him. He could feel his heart struggle under the load like a crushing pile of snow pushing into him. Jungkook tried and failed again and again to figure out why he didn’t say anything to Jimin. The blond had finally poured his emotions out as much as his heart would allow only for him to be silent. His hands became fists, nails digging hard into his palms, denting his skin as he wondered if he was even good enough for Jimin. He trudged through the halls, if he wasn’t good enough then who else was- he paused as rage hissed through his flesh. Even if he couldn’t have Jimin, he’d make sure Daehyun definitely can’t.

“Son, why are you wearing a uniform?”

The unmistakeable, iron-like tone of his father drove through his ears like a drill, rendering him motionless as he froze at the bottom of the stairs.

He turned around, chained to the spot, as he failed to respond.

His father usually worked overtime on Sunday nights, Jungkook hadn’t anticipated a day when he’d decide to change his routine. The man’s intimidating gaze shouldn’t have caused bullets of ice to pummel into his weak state. Yet, everything from his stance to his questioning expression filled him with a sense of vertigo as his mind flooded with lies to tell.

“You’ve got a job or something?” His father continued, he took a step forward.

Jungkook allowed the chain to yank him back as he almost stepped away. He had to prove to his father that he was no one’s prey, yet he still felt like a hunted deer under his watchful eyes. If he got no verbal response from Jungkook, he’d make one from every single muscle movement.

“So, what if he does?” His mother asked from the top of the stairs, her voice coming from above like the blessings of the angels.

Jungkook took in a deep breath as he shifted slightly towards the stairs whilst his mother stood face to face with her husband.

His father scoffed, “Don’t you realise how detrimental that is to his swimming?” Then he gently used his arm to dismiss her, moving her to the side as he spoke to his son, “You’re telling me you’d rather waste time and energy on a job you don’t need instead of practising?”

“It’s his choice to make. If he wants to work and gain experience as an adult instead of being spoiled, then let him. In fact, you should encourage him, like any other parent.” She stated, giving him a strong a glare as she got back into his view, anchored to the spot.

“You’re the one who spoils him, letting him do whatever the hell he wants!” His father boomed, his boiling rage spilling over the brim, he pointed to himself, “I’m the one who encourages his dreams, I keep him in check-”

His mother frustratedly ran her hands through her hair before shrieking, “You control him! You try and control everyone and everything in this damn house!”

Jungkook tried to drown out their arguing with the panicked thumping of his heart, they were like a familiar record that he never wanted to listen to but could never skip.

His father shook his head, “This isn’t just about Jungkook isn’t it?”

A prickly feeling of relief scratched through him like an itch he had gotten rid of only to be replaced by another. He quietly started to climb the stairs, opposed to hearing what other problem that wasn’t him. However, the air carried sound quicker than his legs could ever carry him.

“No, it’s about you-”

“You’re not exactly innocent either! Maybe if you weren’t so close with that-”

“He’s just my colleague!”

“Well, he clearly wants to be more than that!”

Jungkook closed his bedroom door, his movements were slower and slower as he got closer and closer to the realisation of how familiar their argument sounded.

“So, you don’t trust me to discourage him if does?”

“I trust you. I just don’t trust him! I’ve seen the way he looks at you even though he knows you’re mine!”

“Oh, stop with all your possessive bullshit!”

There it was- the word he dreaded yet expected. Jungkook still shook his head in disbelief as he walked away from his bedroom door. His heart pounded with the frightful epiphany that he was just like his father. He had been oblivious for all these years until now, realising that he once wanted to become the man he now feared. Jungkook had believed that if he just obeyed his every word then everything will be fine, and he had convinced himself that it was. He sat down on his bed, resting his head in his hands as dizziness began to overcome him. He thought everything was fine before; training every day for hours on end, with barely any breaks but a plentiful amount of verbal abuse to encourage him. His father had good intentions; he was just moulding Jungkook into the swimmer he is- the person he is now.

Jungkook ran a hand through his hair as he cursed under his breath. He was now aware of the fact that he had not only inherited his father’s surname but also almost every single one of his personality traits. He was stubborn, dangerously competitive, never wanting to settle for second best- until he met Jimin. Jungkook hid his face in his hands; ashamed of the way he had acted towards the sweet angel. If it wasn’t for Jimin, he would’ve ended up being a carbon copy of his father, an image that made his mind writhe with discomfort and fear. He stood up and began to pace around his large room, trying to focus on the sound of his footsteps rather than the shouts downstairs. Yet, his father’s deafening yells never failed to spike into his ears. Jungkook froze abruptly. Did he also have anger issues? His mind filled with any instance he could think of when he showcased an untameable and harmful rage. His chest heaved, he began to breathe deep in relief as he convinced himself that he hadn’t, only for him to remember the way he hurt Jimin with his words- just like his father would.

His mind raced, thinking back to that time in the dance studio. He had been blind to how Jimin’s golden-brown eyes darkened with hurt and his lips- did they quiver with fright? Jungkook crouched to the floor and swore loudly, knowing his parents wouldn’t hear him over their own screaming. He had caused that fear by berating Jimin and trying to control him, telling him what he was supposed to be. Jungkook had shouted like his father, acted like his father- he was his father.

Jungkook began to pace again, moving faster and faster, as he wondered if everything he had done was the cause of his father. His dream wasn’t just his own and his desires…he came to a halt as he began to wonder why he wanted Jimin. What had drawn him to the blond? Swimming? Their rivalry? His beauty?

Was he someone he wanted to be with or a shiny, new prize he wanted to win?

Jungkook thought about the huge cabinet downstairs in the parlour and how it was almost full to the brim with his awards and trophies. He looked around at the certificates on his walls and opened up his drawers that were filled with gold medals, no other colour was in sight as he sifted through them. Gold. It was all that he wanted.

He picked up one of his medals by the ribbon. It dangled before him, glaring brightly through the darkness of his room. He once believed that it was the only thing that could make him happy. Yet, the glinting gold of the medal seemed nothing like the brightness Jimin brought into his life. However, Jungkook was still flooded with confusion. How does he see Jimin? How should he see him- the golden medal flashed into his eyes, stinging with a harsh intensity he couldn’t bear. Jungkook shook his head and glared back at the metallic gold. Jimin wasn’t just another a trophy, he wasn’t some medal to parade around on his neck. He was more than that-

Jimin was more than gold.

Jungkook grew sickened by the medal in his hands and threw it away without any hesitation, relishing the cracking sound that erupted as it dented the wall. Then he flung himself on to his bed and gazed up at the darkness, picturing the only light he needed.

Jimin’s hair wasn’t as yellow as gold it was as yellow as the sun that brings him life and his eyes…they were never golden-brown. Jungkook’s heart soared with delight when he realised that Jimin’s eyes were honey-brown, twinkling with hints of amber depending on how the light reflected on him. His beauty may have been what attracted him at first, but it was his heart that attached him. Ever since they met, Jimin had never failed to be the kindest, most caring, and sweetest person he had ever known.

His parents had quietened down, presumably making up again. Jungkook sighed deeply as silence streamed through his ears like a serene waterfall. He had a content smile on his face as everything came into place like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

He didn’t want to have Jimin- he wanted to be with him.


	25. Wave 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the late update, life just got in the way unfortunately. I'll have to post bi-weekly chapters since school is starting up soon so I'll look forward to writing for you guys every other Monday!

“You made me leave practice early because of a damn tutoring session?” Namjoon burst out angrily.

His father’s gaze hardened into an icy glare, “Watch your tone, young man.” He said lowly and authoritatively.

Namjoon took a deep breath before calmly stating, “I don’t tutor on Mondays.”

His mother stood up from their expensive, dazzling white sofa and glided over to him. She gave him a comforting smile as she lightly rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Just for a few weeks, as a favour for our friends.” His mother spoke sweetly, her brown eyes warming dotingly.

Namjoon refrained from rolling his eyes as he let out a groan, “Who am I tutoring?” then he blazed with frustration, his tone rising, “I swear if it’s-”

“Namjoon, please-” she pleaded with a certain sincerity that threw him off.

“Just tutor her.” His father said solemnly, no longer using a commanding tone.

Namjoon blinked at his parents in utter confusion. Why did it matter to them so much?

“I don’t want anything to do with her.” He deadpanned.

Then he felt an abrupt sting pass through him as he noticed how grave their expressions were. There must have been something far more serious that was on their minds, but what did it have to do with his love life?

There was a sharp ring that sounded, signalling that someone was at the gates. His heart gave a harsh thump as he hoped with every fibre of his being that it was anyone but her- preferably Seokjin.

“She’s a nice girl, Namjoon.” His mother assured softly before leaving the parlour to press a button for the gates. She dismissed their butler and waited at the double-doored entrance of their mansion.

He merely shook his head incredulously, wondering why they were so adamant on disregarding his relationship with Seokjin. His rage began to sizzle from his boiling skin only for the heat to dissipate when he recalled his parent’s expressions. If it meant simply tutoring this girl would help take away whatever burden it was that weighed on them, then he’ll do it. Namjoon took a deep breath as he felt his father’s hands gently clasp his shoulders. They exchanged knowing looks as they merely gave each other a small nod.

“When is she arriving?” Namjoon asked solemnly, his eyes glaring into the wall behind his father.

“Now.” His father replied briefly.

Namjoon’s face was ablaze with anger yet again, “What- but I-”

Footsteps silenced him as his mother entered the living room with Aeri on her arm and an intimidatingly large bodyguard behind them. Namjoon’s expression immediately became neutral as he turned to them, bringing his arms behind his back in a respectful manner yet his nails dug into his palms. He expertly contained the bubbling anger he felt at the thought of how his parents had already invited her; certain that he wouldn’t disobey them.

Aeri stood almost perfectly still like an inanimate puppet waiting for its master’s control. Namjoon greeted her calmly, awaiting what commands she would follow then she gave a timid bow and a quiet response. He nodded curtly, taking note of her choice of character.

“What subject?” Namjoon asked, dulling his tone so he didn’t sound too sharp as he glanced towards her bodyguard.

“Mathematics.” She answered as softly as ever.

He took a couple steps towards her whilst noticing her bodyguard do the same. Aeri never made eye contact as she lowered her head like she wasn’t worthy of his gaze.

He narrowed his eyes at her, “What grade?”

She stammered “I- uh…well- A.”

“What a damn waste of time.” He scoffed.

“Namjoon.” His father warned.

Namjoon merely walked away before stopping and gesturing for Aeri to follow him to his study room. She silently trailed behind him, each step as dainty as ever as her ponytail bounced along.

Throughout the tutoring session, Namjoon’s mouth spouted out how to solve abstract algebra questions yet his mind constantly thought about Seokjin. He wondered how his boyfriend would react to the fact he was leaving practice early just to tutor some girl. Then he let out an inaudible sigh as he glanced at Aeri’s perfectly manicured, Tiffany & Co fingers write equations and spotted the Birkin bag she had simply dropped on the floor. He was wrong; she wasn’t just some girl. She was a powerful one.

************************

Jimin sat with his knees tightly tucked into his chest, shrinking away from his surroundings. Yet, he yearned to reach out and dive towards the rows of mirrors and grip the wooden bars as tightly as he could. The swimmer sighed, his chest heavy as the air seemed to contain him in his cell of solitude. Jimin lowered his head; he was trapped in the one place he was supposed to feel free in, his ballet slippers anchored by his mother’s words. The school’s dance studio was empty. The room seemed to refuse his presence unless he danced; like he was simply a part of the floor itself as he sat there motionlessly, waiting for a reason to move.

Then all of a sudden, the room came alive as the door swung open gently. More light flooded the room, making the mirrors glisten brightly and glitter whilst Jimin’s head stayed lowered. Someone walked in as quietly as the breeze they let in. Jimin felt the desperation in his heart as he could’ve danced to those very footsteps. Yet, when he heard his name escape that person’s lips it felt like his favourite song.

“Jimin.”

He looked up to see Jungkook’s reflection in the mirror and blinked, wondering if it was a mirage. He hesitated as he turned around to check, hoping with all his heart that the image wouldn’t disappear.

“Jungkook.” He uttered softly.

The doe-eyed boy smiled as he shyly stared down at the floor. He took a few steps towards the blond, he was cautious and slow as though not wanting to frighten a bird. Jungkook sat next to him and watched the way Jimin’s shoulders relaxed. His heart buzzed with a warm sensation when the blond shuffled closer to him ever so slightly. Jungkook made sure to move even nearer. The pair pushed themselves together until they met in the middle perfectly. Tension drained from their bodies as they made physical contact, soothing one another with their arms pressed together and their heads leaning on each other.

Jungkook took a deep breath as he calmly whispered, “Why aren’t you dancing?”

His heart hammered recklessly as the blond snuggled his shoulder and mumbled into his shirt, creating a humming sound that made his skin tingle.

“I can’t dance.”

The brunet furrowed his eyebrows, “Why not?”

“I can’t.”

He could hear a slight break in his voice.

“Prove it.”

Jimin’s head shot up in confusion as he blinked at Jungkook, “How can I prove I can’t do something?”

“By trying it.” Jungkook smirked, his tone challenging yet his eyes playful.

Jimin felt his heart rate pick up with excitement as well as the overwhelming rush he felt whenever he was near Jungkook. The brunet took out his phone and blasted one of Jimin’s favourite songs, revealing how he sets out to listen to every song he mentions. He gave the blond an encouraging smile.

“Dance for me please, Jimin.”

He gazed into Jungkook’s glittering brown eyes, loving the way the orange afternoon light twirled in them. There it was- he finally had a reason to dance.

Jimin stood up and ran with the piano notes that carried him higher and higher in the air the quicker they flew by. Every one of his limbs became a part of the song as he rose with the cymbals, lowered with the bass, his body felt and conveyed the tremor of every string. Jungkook froze as he watched him in silence, he didn’t need to listen to the lyrics to know what they meant. Jimin’s body managed to form every emotion like a cloud creating any shape you could imagine. There was pure shock in his eyes as he witnessed Jimin’s transformations. He would be a snowflake darting through a harsh blizzard, a lost ribbon weaving through the breeze then a dazzling beam of light striking through the darkness. Yet, the most captivating thing about Jimin when he danced was his face. His eyes were closed as though dancing through his dreams. It was him at his most vulnerable, revealing all the things he hid behind the brick wall and showcasing what made him truly beautiful- his heart.

It was all for Jungkook to see. Jimin wanted to make sure he knew that by the end of the song. He flung himself into a spinning jump with the rising of the violins as the singer reached a heart-wrenching high note, the instruments themselves seemed tear-filled as he cried out with them in a powerful grand jeté. He landed perfectly, finishing with effortless pirouettes before his ending pose. An arabesque, supporting his body on one leg whilst extending one arm and leg behind as he reached towards Jungkook with the other arm. The sun seemed to cast a natural spotlight on him as he glowed ethereally; his blond waves of hair shimmered, and his skin beamed under the sun’s gaze. However, his eyes seemed to encapsulate every colour of the rainbow as the light passed over them. Jungkook sighed wistfully as he stared into them- his honey brown eyes.

He could see it now. Jimin put his leg down but still reached out his hand to Jungkook. He was yearning for something. Jungkook took his hand carefully, never losing eye contact with the blond. He stepped closer to him, noticing how Jimin unconsciously took a step towards him also. Jungkook brought Jimin’s hand to his cheek and smiled timidly into his palm. Then he gently placed a delicate kiss against it.

The blond let out a cute little gasp at the feeling of Jungkook’s soft, feather-like lips against his skin. Then the brunet brought his hand down, still holding it as he shyly avoided Jimin’s eyes for a few seconds. They blushed silently, looking away before meeting each other’s eyes again like a pull they couldn’t push against.

“Jimin,” Jungkook said softly.

Jimin stared back at him, wondering how he felt so much warmth simply from his blanketing gaze. He felt his heart flutter as freely as the wings of a bird escaping its cage when he realised who had opened it in the first place.

“You can dance.”

**********************

The air was peacefully serene as Jungkook watched Jimin danced until the afternoon rays dimmed, and the sky darkened. However, Jimin wasn’t a little ballerina in a music box. With every turn, jump and lunge, his feet grew more bruised and his muscles ached. Yet, he kept going until Jungkook grabbed him gently and wordlessly held him. The blond froze up immediately, a tranquil expression on his face as he closed his eyes and leaned back into Jungkook’s embrace.

Jimin panted, “W-what…are you-”

The brunet simply picked him up, beaming brightly when Jimin’s light giggles filled the room. He spun him around in his arms, loving the way Jimin yelped adorably and tightened his hold around his shoulders. Jungkook stopped spinning after a few moments, allowing them both to catch their breaths. Jimin pressed his ear against Jungkook’s chest and wondered whether he was the reason his heart beat so quickly.

“It’s time to rest.” He spoke calmly.

Jimin kept his eyes closed as he shook his head slowly against his chest, “Dance with me.”

Jungkook tensed before answering, “I can’t-”

“Prove it.”

He sighed, smiling dotingly when Jimin used his own words against him. Yet, behind his smile there was a scowl that belonged to his father; a look he couldn’t bear to see. Then he looked down at Jimin’s face again; his eyes were open this time, shining with optimism and joy. He realised he couldn’t bear to not see that look either.

“Next time.”

Jungkook carefully set him down on the floor and brought Jimin’s bag before sitting down in front of him. He took both of Jimin’s hands in his.

“I’m sorry…again.”

Jimin cutely cocked his head to the side, “For what?”

“I’m sorry I overreacted, I’m sorry I shouted at you a-and most of all…” his voice began to tremble when he thought back to the tears he had caused to fill his beautiful eyes, “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Jimin let go of his hands, unknowingly causing a rip in his heart before mending it in the next second by climbing on to his lap and wrapping his arms around him. The pair engulfed one another in each other’s loving warmth; tightening their hold with every passing second as time pushed them even closer together. Jungkook burrowed into the crook of Jimin’s neck and breathed deeply, realising how much he had missed the smell of vanilla misted flower petals. Jimin’s lips passed over his ear as he whispered softly.

“I forgive you.”

Jungkook felt the crushing weight on his chest completely disappear at his words.

After a while, the two realised how much time was escaping them as the sun began to hide away, no longer needing to glow as they warmed one another. As much as they wanted to stay in each other’s hold, Jimin’s legs had to eventually loosen around the brunet’s torso and Jungkook’s arms had to gradually let go of Jimin’s waist. He watched as the blond delicately took off his ballet slippers; the material seemed worn out, the creamy white colour dulling with age. Jimin definitely had the money to buy new ones, yet he never did. Jungkook braced himself to be shut out by Jimin’s wall as he attempted to break through once again.

“Do these slippers mean something to you?”

Jimin paused with them in his hands, holding the slippers protectively against his chest as though no one else was allowed to even brush a fingertip against them. There was a silence that passed through them before the blond answered.

“They used to belong to my aunt…” Jimin looked down at the slippers, completely avoiding Jungkook’s gaze as his smile disappeared, “then she gave them to me.”

The brunet blinked in shock before nodding. He knew not to push his luck by asking any questions about his aunt. Yet, to his surprise, Jimin spoke anyway.

“They’re special to me- she’s special to me. My aunt is the reason I fell in love with dance…I don’t know what I would’ve done without her.”

His words were quiet yet deafeningly loud as Jungkook took in every word as well as the way he said it. He could sense a lot of love yet a trace of hurt from the slight breaking of his voice.

“Did she teach you how to dance?” Jungkook asked, yet he knew the answer.

Jimin simply nodded, allowing a lone tear to dive down his cheek. Jungkook placed his fingers under his chin and raised his head up slightly. His thumb carefully passed over his tear, handling it like it was the most valuable diamond on earth.

“I’m glad she did.” He whispered sweetly.

The blond let out a deep breath before beaming at him with a smile that lit up his whole world.

Once the ballet slippers were safely tucked away, Jungkook wanted to get to work on Jimin’s wounded feet. The blond tried to object, not wanting to be a burden yet Jungkook had already gone through his bag and found a little canister. He could only assume that something was hidden in there and opened it to find plasters and blister gel. Then he placed Jimin’s feet on his lap and opened the tube.

“I’ll be gentle.” He uttered reassuringly as he applied the gel on Jimin’s bruised skin.

The brunet looked up to see Jimin wink at him, leaving him to blush at his own words definitely being taken out of context.

He moved slowly and cautiously whilst Jimin stared at Jungkook’s serious expression; his furrowed eyebrows and his adorably pursed lips didn’t disappear until he healed every single one of his wounds. His facial features relaxed once he finished, yet he didn’t remove Jimin’s legs from his lap and instead continued to softly smooth his fingers over his skin.

“Is dancing really worth all this pain?” Jungkook asked quietly, staring at every blister as his thumb gently passed over his ankle.

Jimin tried hard to not physically tremor with every tingling sensation that ran through him because of his touch.

“If it wasn’t for all this pain, I’d dance forever.” Jimin answered solemnly.

Jungkook unconsciously shook his head, running his fingers over his heels, somehow avoiding every bruise.

“You can’t dance forever, Jimin.”

“I wish I could.”

“Then I’d watch you dance forever.”

*********************

Hoseok gently held two puppies in his hands as he showed them to a customer. He struggled with the adorable, little Pomeranian in his left palm as it constantly squirmed and barked excitedly. Yet, the cute Golden retriever in his right palm stayed snuggled in his hand, as calm as ever with its eyes closed. The little girl jumped eagerly in celebration whilst her mother chuckled at her behaviour. Hoseok beamed at them, the mother was almost taken aback, and the kid nearly paused in awe at how genuinely happy he looked for them.

He raised his left hand slightly.

“This is a Pomeranian, he’s energetic and very friendly. He tends be quite jumpy and barks a bit too much at times. However, he’s affectionate and really good with kids.” Hoseok informed with a fond smile on his face as he thought back to how much fun he had caring for the Pomeranian.

He lowered his left hand and raised his right.

“This is a Golden retriever, unlike his siblings, it takes a longer time for him to warm up to you but when he does, he’s loyal and very loving. But he often sleeps during the day and plays during the night which is pretty unusual.” Hoseok looks at the puppy dotingly, realising how attached he had gotten to the shy, little pup.

The mother nodded and her daughter was still wide-eyed, her head adorably darting between each puppy.

“Which one’s your favourite?” The girl asked curiously.

Hoseok chuckled, “I like them both.”

“But, which one do you _really_ like?” she narrowed her eyes with her hands on her hips.

The redhead blinked, still smiling as brightly as ever but now his eyebrows laced with confusion.

The mother laughed lightly as she placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders, “I think the Pomeranian would be a good choice, don’t you think?”

The kid looked up before nodding, seemingly happy with any puppy. Yet, Hoseok couldn’t help but feel a small sense of relief that his furry companion in his right hand would be under his care for a little longer.

*********************

Yoongi entered the pet shop without a single sound; blinking slightly at the bright décor and vibrantly coloured walls yet easily able to adjust his eyes to the back of Hoseok’s flaming red hair. The corners of his lips unknowingly raised, dark eyes shimmering with glee when he took in the delightful tidal wave of Hoseok’s magical presence. The redhead was currently occupied as he happily conversed with a blue parakeet and groomed its feathers. Yoongi gazed at him from a distance until it was long enough for him to realise how creepy it seemed. He shook his head to shake himself out of his trance. Then chose to no longer stare at the beauty with a goofy, lovestruck expression and quietly approached Hoseok from behind.

“Hobi is the best!” Hoseok sang joyfully to the parakeet, eyes bright with hope as he waited for the bird’s response.

The parakeet squawked, “Hobi is the best!”

He laughed cheerily, unaware of how beautifully melodic it was to the person behind him.

“Hobi got swag!” Hoseok shamelessly chanted with a ‘cool’ pose, still believing that he was the only human around.

“Hobi got swag!”

Hoseok clapped his hands in an adorable manner. Yoongi’s heart completely melted- he’s so precious.

The redhead was ready for another self-made compliment, “Hobi is-”

“Cute.”

He was cut off by a voice as deep as the quiet darkness of night yet as gentle as the hands that hold him in his sleep. Hoseok whipped his head around to see Yoongi with a shy smile and a sunflower in his hand, waiting for him to receive it. He tried to hold back a gasp but failed, placing a hand over his mouth as he unknowingly made Yoongi’s heart stumble. He took the gift from his hands, making sure their fingers brushed against each other. Then chuckled softly as he hid his smile behind the sunflower. Then suddenly hearing the parakeet chanting a certain line made his blushing even worse.

“Squawk! Hobi is cute! Squawk! Hobi is cute!”

The pair laughed nervously, finding eye contact a bit too overwhelming to deal with at the moment until the pinks of their cheeks faded slightly.

Yoongi gestured towards the flower, “I- uh- thought of you.”

“Thank you. But I keep telling you to not bring me flowers in the pet shop because-”

“You never know which animals may have a pollen allergy. I’m sorry I couldn’t help it and I only brought one.” Yoongi apologised sincerely, his gaze unwavering as he noticed how Hoseok seemed to glow with the flower itself.

Hoseok nodded, unexpectedly quietened by the silent beauty within Yoongi’s night eyes.

“If these animals are allergic to pollen then they must be allergic to you.”

“What?”

“You’re a sunflower,” Yoongi gave him a dazed expression that almost prompted the redhead to call for help just in case he had hit his head. Then Yoongi delicately but briefly passed a thumb over his cheek, sending firecrackers along his skin, “My sunflower.”

Hoseok almost dropped it- the flower as well as his heart. His fingers loosened around it before tightening as he stifled another gasp. Yoongi was being far from predictable today and the redhead was truly struggling to cope.

He cleared his throat, “If I’m this sunflower then…” he placed it carefully by the till and wandered over to the puppy pen, “You’re this puppy!”

Yoongi stared at the Golden retriever in Hoseok’s hands with a perplexed expression on his face.

“What happened to me being lil meow meow?”

Hoseok bit his lip in an attempt to stop himself from cooing at Yoongi’s cuteness, taking note of the way his lips pouted slightly when he said his nickname.

The redhead chuckled, “No, seriously, this is you reincarnated as a puppy! He sleeps during the day and stays up during the night, he won’t fall back asleep unless I hold him either.”

Yoongi peered at the way the pup slept peacefully in Hoseok’s hands as though cushioned between clouds. He let out a fond smile.

“Seems accurate.”

“You won’t sleep unless I hold you?”

“I said it’s accurate.”

Hoseok stared at him before looking away nervously whilst failing to mentally control his heart rate. Yoongi stepped closer, holding out his hands so Hoseok can place the puppy in his hold.

“But who’s your favourite?” He asks jokingly, raising the puppy up slightly and boldly blinking at the redhead cutely.

Hoseok couldn’t help but fall for the way the mild afternoon rays glazed over Yoongi’s delicate features, smoothing down his mint-green hair with brightening stands. He wondered if it was simply just the sun that made his dark eyes glitter like the galaxy that surrounded them…any other reason was a mystery to him.

“I think,” Hoseok tapped his chin thoughtfully before caressing Yoongi’s hair, “I like this puppy the most,” he smirked before adding, “My puppy.”

Yoongi chuckled, hoping he wasn’t blushing as deeply as it felt.

“Hobi,”

“Yes?”

“I’m not your bitch.”

The two erupted into airy laughter, mindful of the slumbering puppy between them yet only enveloped in each other’s presence. Yoongi gently placed the puppy back in its puppy pen then he wordlessly took Hoseok’s hand to pull him into a hug. Hoseok tried not to focus too much on how fast their hearts beat against each other’s chests as he tightened his arms around Yoongi without a second thought. He closed his eyes with content at the feeling of Yoongi’s breath against his neck when he snuggled deeper into his hold. Then Hoseok muttered against his ear.

“You’re my bitch.”

“Sometimes.”


	26. Wave 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry guys, I severely underestimated how much work I'd have to do for school. So, I won't be able to post chapters as regularly as I'd like to. I will still be writing and posting whenever I can and I hope you'll still be here to read it, thank you.

The sunlight dimmed around the massive shopping mall as the last wave of shoppers either rushed into stores on the verge of closing or left the exits with aching hands and feet. Taehyung’s hands tightened around the many paper bags he held as excitement poured through him. He had caught sight of the pet shop that Hoseok worked at and wandered over to the entrance to pay him a visit. He paused momentarily at the sight of the closed sign, then recalled the multiple times Hoseok had let him in after closing time. So, he reached out to knock-

“Taehyung, HELP!”

The dark-haired boy jumped, letting out a shocked yelp and almost dropping his bags. He turned to see Jungkook sprinting towards him at full speed, pure urgency on his face that could easily be mistaken for absolute terror. It was only natural for him to run too.

The pair dashed through the mall, causing other shoppers to send a couple worried and confused glances their way as they blurred through the crowds. They ran as though they were barefoot on scalding hot rocks, until their muscles were on fire. Eventually, they began to slow to a jog, allowing Taehyung to breathlessly say something.

“W-why…are we…running?”

The doe-eyed boy finally came to a stop and doubled over as they panted in unison. The pair took a few moments to catch their breaths in silence before Jungkook decided to respond.

“The stores are closing soon.” He said with a serious expression on his face and his arms crossed.

Taehyung blinked at him before narrowing his eyes in disbelief, “Are you deadass?”

Jungkook nodded with a grave expression, “I’ve been here for hours and I still don’t know what to get Jimin for his birthday.”

Taehyung simply shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Jungkook asked innocently.

“Bitch, I thought we were going to DIE!”

The brunet couldn’t help but chuckle at Taehyung’s dumbfounded expression as he gave the boy a playful slap before throwing an arm loosely around his shoulders. He began to walk in a random direction with Taehyung unknowingly walking in step with him despite not knowing where they were going.

“There’s no harm in a little surprise cardio.” He mentioned with a smirk.

Taehyung whipped his head round so quick he thought he heard a crack.

“Surprise cardio? More like surprise cardiac arrest!”

“Don’t be so dramatic, oh wait- you do drama.” Jungkook added, chuckling to himself.

“You’re crazy-”

“Crazy for your best friend, who I still don’t have a gift for.”

Taehyung shook his head but couldn’t help but smile when he realised how mutual Jimin and Jungkook’s feelings were.

“So, scaring me half to death is your way of asking for my help?”

Jungkook scratched the back of his neck absent-mindedly and then proceeded to put his hands together and bow.

“I apologise. Please help me, oh wise Taehyung, master of all things Jimin.” He jokingly exaggerated and pouted with an expert use of puppy dog eyes.

Taehyung gave a light chuckle at his antics, his eyes softening as he further understood why Jimin had such a huge crush on the doe-eyed boy. Of course, he was willing to help, considering that he’s Jimin’s certified wingman.

“I guess I could pass some of my knowledge on to you,” He raised his hands to show off his shopping bags with a grin, “I’ve already got Jimin a bunch of gifts anyway.”

Taehyung began to walk in the opposite direction whilst Jungkook followed after him with no hesitation.

“How could you flex on me like that? Of course, you’ve got him a ton of stuff- you’re his best friend.” Jungkook complained light-heartedly.

“And you’re his soon-to-be boyfriend but you’re emptyhanded.”

Jungkook looked away quickly as his cheeks reddened, he decided to bite his tongue; in silent agreement about his title as Jimin’s future boyfriend.

They entered a gift shop that welcomed them with a light and sweet aroma from the multitude of scented candles and flowers. The shop was filled with a variety of different kinds of presents and adorable messages to loved ones. Jungkook and Taehyung felt themselves grow even more at ease under the soft, warm glow of the lighting. It filled the place with a friendly atmosphere yet held an air of luxury with golden tinges in the decorations. The two of them walked over to the glass displays of jewellery and accessories.

Jungkook moved slightly over to the arrays of watches.

“I’ve already got him a watch.” Taehyung gloated happily.

“What brand?”

“Expensive.”

Jungkook scoffed playfully and stepped over to the necklaces.

“I’ve got him a necklace, a matching pair, actually. Guess who’s wearing the other one?”

Jungkook rolled his eyes and moved to the bracelets.

“Got him a matching pair of bracelets too.” Taehyung muttered.

Jungkook let out a sigh as he finally came to the rings section and Taehyung didn’t miss a beat.

“Isn’t a bit too early for that?”

“Taehyung, you said you’d help me!” Jungkook whined.

The dark-haired boy gave a hearty chuckle, “Why would I help out my competitor?”

“Competitor? What are we even competing for?”

“Jimin’s love.” Taehyung answered with a huff, his face straight, but his eyes playful.

Jungkook smirked, “Alright then. Let’s compete with our bank accounts.”

Taehyung chuckled, knowing full well that he was rich, but Jungkook was _rich_.

“Well, you see- uh because of the way my bank account is set up, the amount in it just so happens to be lower than yours but that’s due to a problem with the bank that affects my account specifically, but within five working days-”

Jungkook laughed at Taehyung’s jokey rambling then turned around to see a snow globe display by the window and his eyes brightened. He almost sprinted over to the display, followed closely by Taehyung. Jungkook picked up a snow globe with beautifully designed, snow-covered trees and an intricately made ballerina who seemed to be dancing in the middle of a clearing in the forest. He knew exactly what he wanted when he gazed into it, seemingly unsatisfied with the figurine. Taehyung sped after him again as the doe-eyed boy brought the snow globe to the middle-aged lady at the till.

“Do you do personalised snow globes?” He asked excitedly.

“Yes, would you like a picture in one?” the lady responded sweetly.

“I’d like a personalised design but not with a picture.” Jungkook placed the ballerina snow globe in front of her. “I want a bigger size but not too big because I don’t want him to break his adorable hands. There needs to be less trees because I want all of the attention to be on the ballerina. It has to be a male ballerina by the way, with white clothing and blond hair. He’ll have to look like an angel but without wings because-”

Taehyung decided to cut in before the boy could say a speech about Jimin’s beauty, “I don’t think she can be that specific, Jungkook.”

She shook her head, “Oh, I can, but it’ll be far more expensive-”

“I’ll pay any price.” Jungkook cut her off with utter conviction in his voice.

The woman blinked at him before making sure to exchange their contact details.

“You can email, call or text what you want me to design or specifically add and I’ll let you know the price.”

Jungkook nodded and pleaded desperately, “Please make it as soon as possible.”

“That will also add to the price, though.” She said hesitantly.

“Doesn’t matter.”

Taehyung had to mentally remind himself to close his mouth that was currently hanging agape from shock. Once Jungkook and the gift shop owner finished their conversation, the pair left the store just before closing time and began walking towards one of the mall’s exits.

“Thanks for taking me to that gift shop, Tae.” Jungkook spoke with a bright smile.

“I’m glad I did, but I wish I didn’t.” He grumbled.

Jungkook chuckled, “Why?”

“You’ve got him the better present.” Tae sighed.

Jungkook looked at Taehyung, noticing the way he feigned a regretful expression, yet his eyes were filled with such a friendly warmth that it reminded him of Hoseok. He then recalled how fortunate it was that he had caught Tae just before he could enter the pet shop. After seeing how mushy Hoseok and Yoongi were being through the window, he figured that it would have been a very awkward encounter for the three of them. Despite all of that, he was glad he got a chance to hang out with Taehyung as he realised more and more why him and Jimin were best friends.

Jungkook brought his hand out, “Let’s see if you win next time.”

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, putting down some of his shopping bags before shaking Jungkook’s hand.

He spoke with a playful, box-shaped grin.

“Just you wait until Christmas.”

************************

Jimin’s eyes fluttered open to the rays of morning light streaming through his window. He watched the floating specks of dust in the light glitter subtly as the birds outside sang a sweet tune. He smiled and closed his eyes again patiently.

“Happy birthday, Jimin!”

His parents shouted excitedly at the top of their lungs as they threw themselves on to their son. Jimin immediately erupted into laughter as his parents squeezed the life out of him with the tightest hug they could muster.

He gasped, “Th-thank you but- I can’t breathe-”

They abruptly loosened their hold but still kept their arms enveloped securely around him, so he had no hope of escaping.

Jimin took a deep breath before grinning cheerfully, content within their shared warmth as he snuggled deeper into their loving embrace. Without fail, he was reminded of why he loved his birthday mornings especially. It wasn’t the breakfast fit for a king or the mountain of presents waiting for him outside his room, but the hug that we received from his parents. He couldn’t help but move closer to his mother’s side, taking solace in how rare it was for her to hold him like she used to. Jimin felt her icy barrier melt as he gently pressed his head against her chest, listening to the song of her heartbeat and wishing he could dance to it. Yet, he was afraid that if he took just one step then the music would stop all together. Jimin had to be delicate with his mother’s tune, especially when she was in a good mood. She never failed to be happiest on his birthday and he couldn’t afford to ruin her melody, especially when it only seemed to play for him that day.

“Our baby’s all grown up!” his father cooed, squeezing his son tight in his arms as the boy giggled lightly.

“He’s not all grown up yet.” His mother argued jokily, caressing the top of Jimin’s head.

“I am!” Jimin laughed.

“Well, you’re not definitely getting any taller.” His father muttered playfully.

“Dad!”

The three of them laughed in each other’s hold, wishing they had the key to lock their moment in time as the world turned without them. Yet, time continued and with every second that passed, they felt a tear between them forming as they realised that Jimin would soon have a birthday without them hopping into his bed and giving him a hug. Nevertheless, they enjoyed the little time they had together, eating a hearty breakfast then his parents watching with delight as he opened all of his presents with a cheerful smile on his face. His mother and father eventually brought out his favourite cake and as they filmed their son blowing out his candles, they thought back to the seventeen other videos. Jimin’s eyebrows were furrowed in concentration with his nose scrunched adorably every time he made a wish as though every fibre of his being wanted it to come true. Yet, his parents were certain that out of all of his eighteen wishes, he has never once wished for himself.

***********************

Jimin pattered down the staircase and slid across the wooden floorboards of the halls as gracefully as he could in his socks. He hummed a jaunty tune and snapped his fingers along to his rhythm as he arrived at his destination: the fridge. He merrily grabbed a piece of his cake and stuffed his face, his mood lifting even more as the soft, sponge-like, creamy texture with fruity insides made his taste buds dance along with him. Jimin skipped to the living room to blast his favourite songs in the empty house as he waited for-

A sudden ring erupted through the place, his eyes lit up with glee as he shoved the slice of cake into his mouth and dashed to the door. Seeing his best friend was about to make his day even better. He swung the door open-

“Surprise!”

Jimin nearly choked.

Taehyung was standing in front of him with a multitude of presents in his hands and around him were the rest of the swim team holding gifts and a cake.

They all shouted, “Happy birthday!”

Jimin’s cheeks flushed a bright pink as he immediately made eye contact with a certain Jeon Jungkook. There he was, looking as gorgeous as ever with a white t-shirt tucked into tight denim jeans and a green bomber jacket. Jimin couldn’t fathom how he looked like a model in a pretty basic outfit. Then he looked down at his own appearance; a baggy, oversized tee with cake stains and grey sweatpants, his hair was a mess, and his face was still full of cake, so he very closely resembled a pufferfish.

He simply closed the door.

“Jimin, you little shit! Open the door!” Taehyung yelled hysterically with his box-shaped smile plastered over his face. He turned around to the others who were clearly dumbfounded by Jimin’s reaction. Taehyung was fully aware of why Jimin had closed the door. The mortified blond was most likely racing up the stairs and hopping into the shower.

Taehyung reached into his pocket, “Don’t worry guys, he knows I’ve got a spare key.”

They entered Jimin’s house, immediately taking off their shoes whilst Taehyung slid into his own purple house slippers. The swim team wandered into the vast living room and made themselves comfortable whilst Taehyung and Seokjin busied themselves. Tae turned up the music and took Jin with him to the kitchen so they could get the cake ready. Jin was in charge of the candles on the cake whilst Taehyung prepared the snacks and drinks, only to open the fridge and notice that there was already a cake in there. He smacked his forehead, how could he have forgotten Jimin and his parent’s cute, little birthday tradition.

Jin craned his neck around Taehyung and his eyes lit up, he turned around with the cake they had brought, “I guess we won’t be needing this, I’m sure I can make some use of it though.” He chuckled mischievously.

Taehyung laughed whilst swiftly taking the cake from him and setting it down on the table. The rest of the group joined them in the kitchen to help with the cake or simply sit in observation in Yoongi’s case.

“Two cakes are better than one.” Taehyung spoke as he lit a candle.

Hoseok set fire to a sparkler that, of course, sent sparks flying, making him jump in alarm and yelp. Yoongi was quick to place a reassuring hand on his lower back.

“Jimin’s got enough cake.” Jin cackled, everyone shook their heads and cringed with doting smiles on their faces. Seokjin crossed his arms, “Am I wrong?”

He turned to Jungkook and raised an eyebrow playfully, “Kook, am I wrong?”

Jungkook dropped a candle in surprise and choked on air as his face turned red whilst everyone else chose to finally join in on Jin’s laughter.

“W-why would I know?” Jungkook stammered, looking away from teammates.

Seokjin said nothing in response, but instead shared a couple of glances with everyone else whilst Jungkook grew more and more embarrassed.

“I-I’d be blind to not notice- we’ve all noticed!” Jungkook huffed.

Seokjin nudged into his side and gave a wink, “We’ve noticed but you’ve stared.”

Everyone erupted into even more laughter as Jin clapped his hands along with his windshield wipers.

Jungkook carefully placed a new candle on the cake before sending a punch towards Jin’s arm. Seokjin was quick to stop laughing and start yelling as he chaotically tried to put the boy in a chokehold. Their usual playfighting was able to bring the rest of the team’s attention back to the cake which was most likely Jungkook’s intention.

Once the pair calmed down, they returned to the candles and after a few moments passed, the cake was ready. Yet, Jungkook was still itching to see Jimin and hand him his present. His heartrate picked up with the very idea of earning the blond’s stunningly bright eye-smile.

“Taehyung, do you think Jimin’s done getting ready?” he asked hopefully.

Tae was about to shake his head and say no immediately, knowing how long it takes for his best friend to pick a damn outfit let alone wear one. Then he quickly bit his tongue before he could ruin his opportunity to be a wingman.

“Yeah, I think you should go check on him. Make sure to give him his present, too!” Taehyung ushered him outside of the kitchen.

Jungkook couldn’t help but wonder why he seemed so enthusiastic, not noticing Taehyung’s cheeky little grin as he was led upstairs.

************************

Jimin looked between the clothes in his hands, wondering if he should wear a V-neck or a t-shirt. He turned around at the sudden sound of knocking at his door, his eyes narrowed, he had expected Taehyung to just walk in despite him only wearing his underwear.

“Tae?” Jimin called out.

“Jimin, are you done?” his best friend responded from behind the door.

The blond turned back around to examine his choices, allowing Taehyung to open the door, push Jungkook through it and dash down the staircase without Jimin noticing.

“Actually, I-”

Jungkook breathed sharply at the sight, causing Jimin to make direct eye contact with him. He was simply transfixed by the rawness of his beauty, taking in how the dusk painted his body; alluring orange, rosy streaks mixed with lavender ran over his skin like a waterfall of light. He could’ve sworn that he caught sparkles glittering across his skin from the mellowing sun outside. As he speechlessly gazed at Jimin, he realised that it wasn’t the same as seeing him in his swim shorts. Seeing him covered by the water droplets that clung to his skin was different to catching him bare and vulnerable with the mere air holding his body. The way the light moved over the blond, made an unexplainable jealousy rise through him. He wanted to caress his skin like the water never would, he wanted to gently blow kisses onto him like the slight breeze that passed through the window. His mind created images of their bodies melding and their skin smoothing over each other under the cool heat of the sunset- he wanted to touch him.

Jungkook quickly closed the door behind him without a word. He leaned his back against the door, his heartbeat and his breath seemed to be in a chaotic unison, beating and breathing erratically. His legs nearly gave out as he tried to compose himself, biting down on his lip hard to try and distract himself from feeling anything else. He attempted to slow down his heartbeat, pushing down on whatever urges that rushed through him at that moment. His could feel the heat emanating from his face, he wondered how deep his blush was. Jungkook tried to think of excuses as to why he froze up like that, but his mind would constantly drift over to a heated mirage of naked bodies and he couldn’t figure out how to make it stop. Moments were passing and before he could even think of a solution, he heard his name being called softly through the door.

Jimin nervously pulled on the hems of his long, grey sleeves, he glanced down at his black skinny jeans and thought about whether his legs looked as good as they usually do. He pondered if Jungkook’s hand was frequently missing the doorknob for him to be taking this long to enter. Yet, when he finally did, Jimin felt his chest resonate with rapid pounding. He passed a hand through his blond waves, his eyes avoiding Jungkook’s but still wondering where they went. Was he looking at his face, his hair, his legs, his torso, his arms- he seemed to be looking at his everything when…Jimin felt his cheeks warm again. Jungkook took a couple steps toward him, yet he stopped a few feet away from him as though restraining himself. Jimin raised an eyebrow, he didn’t want a respectable distance. He walked forward and stood close enough to make Jungkook wonder if taking one more step would let their lips touch.

Jimin looked up at him through his lashes and spoke lowly.

“Did you enjoy the show?”

Jungkook bit his tongue by accident and tried to mask his nervousness by keeping his mouth shut. However, Jimin’s honey-brown gaze was expectant, like a cat waiting for his meal to give in. All he had to do was blink to send Jungkook into a panic.

“Well, I- um- you-”

“Was it necessary for you to leave? Or were you getting just a bit too excited?”

To die of embarrassment; Jungkook completely understood the expression in that very moment. The blond continued, his voice was soft and airy, leaving Jungkook breathless.

“I understand that you needed to calm down, but you left me a bit disappointed, Kookie. It made me wonder what you would’ve done if you stayed.”

Jungkook took a deep breath before finally figuring out how to speak, “Something that we’re both not ready for, yet.”

Jimin’s eyes lit up with a blend of innocence and lust, “Yet?”

The brunet looked away, overcome with shyness. He didn’t think that Jimin would realise that his bedroom eyes in a bedroom was a dangerous mix.

He whispered back, “Yet.”

A stifling silence wafted by, Jimin was lost when it came to a response whilst Jungkook was contemplating if he went too far or not far enough. His doe eyes kept landing on Jimin’s exposed chest, making the blond wonder if his V-neck was too low. He crossed his arms over his torso, Jungkook shook his head slightly.

“You didn’t need to change.”

Jimin looked down timidly, “I didn’t want you to see me like looking like that.”

Jungkook sighed, he thought about how lucky Taehyung was to see Jimin at his most comfortable and at his most vulnerable.

“I wish I could.”

Jimin pursed his lips, “What do you mean?”

Jungkook leaned his head forward slightly, immediately attracting Jimin’s face closer to his. The blond thought of a script without meaning to, in his head, this would be the moment Jungkook compliments him on how gorgeous he looks with messy hair and sweatpants or how beautiful he is without clothes all together. Yet, Jungkook said nothing like that.

He placed his hand on Jimin’s cheek, delicately stroking his skin in a gentle, continuous motion before smoothly running his fingers through his hair and landing at the back of his neck. Jimin could feel his skin catch aflame at his touch but doused in freezing water rippling through him at the same time. The brunet rested his forehead against Jimin’s. They closed their eyes.

Jungkook moved his lips towards his ears and spoke tenderly yet the rough undertones of his voice made Jimin’s insides tremble with want.

“You make my heartbeat so fucking fast.”

Jimin failed to hold back a small gasp, making it even harder for Jungkook to control himself. The blond couldn’t get a single a word out of his mouth or even think of anything to say. So, he moved Jungkook’s arm and brought his hand to his chest. Jungkook looked at him in shock as he felt Jimin’s heart thumping against his palm as quickly as his own.

Jimin watched the way his doe-eyes glazed over with temptation as felt Jungkook’s fingers inch towards the lining of his V-neck. His hand stayed atop Jungkook’s and he did nothing to stop him from delving under the fabric and roaming over his skin. Nevertheless, Jungkook chose not to and their hands separated.

They breathed into yet another silence until Jungkook cleared his throat and finally presented Jimin’s birthday gift.

“Happy birthday.” He said with an adorable shyness to his voice.

Jimin beamed at him, “Thank you.”

He took the giftbag and reached in to pick up a sleek black box. Jimin opened it before gasping and nearly dropping it shock.

Jimin stammered, “W-what the hell-”

“This doesn’t seem like a great reaction.” Jungkook chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

The black velvet casing held the most expensive-looking snow globe Jimin had ever seen in his life. He blinked, almost blinded by the way the stand dazzled intensely, covered all around with rainbow speckled opals and glittering, crystal diamonds encrusted between them. The glass ball had some shimmering platinum diamonds embedded around the top to add to the illusion of sparkling snowflakes in the light. However, what Jimin loved the most about the snow globe was the inside of it. A blond-haired boy, wearing all white and dancing barefoot amongst the snow-covered trees. He easily saw himself in that ball, encased but free as he spun, jumped, and twirled against the icy floor, flying like any other speck of snow floating with the wind. Jimin could feel his eyes water as he realised that this was Jungkook’s way of accepting him and encouraging him to be who he wants to be. He didn’t want the version of himself that he showed to everyone else, he wanted the Jimin with sweatpants and bedhead, wearing no clothes and vulnerable. He wanted the Jimin who loves to dance.

“Do you like it?” Jungkook asked worriedly.

Jimin could only nod, unknowingly letting a tear fall. This sent Jungkook completely on edge as he wiped his thumb over his cheek.

“Is it that bad?”

Jimin shook his head and giggled softly, “I love it.”

Jungkook let out a huge sigh and felt his shoulders lighten up from the tenseness his felt. He kept his hands upon Jimin’s cheeks though just in case any more tears tried to fall.

“But Kookie, please tell me you didn’t go broke.”

Jungkook chuckled nervously, “Well, I- uh-”

“Don’t tell me it’s as expensive as it looks.”

“It isn’t.”

Jimin breathed a sigh of relief, “Ok-”

“It’s more expensive than it looks.”

“Kookie!” Jimin whined, somehow guilty despite not asking for him for a gift at all.

“At first, it was just a personally handmade snow globe but it didn’t have enough pizzazz so I went to a jeweller to get a couple diamonds encrusted into it, but I guess platinum ones are more expensive so I got them. Then I decided to add a couple opals because they’re your birthstones and…um it’s the thought that counts.”

“Did you go broke for a snow globe?” Jimin asked in a deadass manner.

“I went broke for you and I have no regrets.”

“Jungkook, no-”

“It was just a few months of my allowance and I’m working now.” Jungkook spoke cheerily.

Jimin shook his head but gazed into his warm, brown eyes fondly.

“Thank you.” He said sincerely, his eye-smile sending the butterflies within Jungkook’s stomach into a chaotic disarray.

“You’re-”

Jimin placed a soft kiss on his cheek, making him freeze completely from shock as he felt the tender warmth from his cloud-like lips soothe every part of him.

“Welcome.” He finished in an almost inaudible whisper.

Jimin gave him an adorable smile, unaware of how Jungkook wished he could kiss every cute crinkle that appeared by his eyes.

He watched the blond carefully take out the snow globe and place the black box on his bed along with the giftbag. Jimin handled his present as carefully as he could, like it was Jungkook’s heart in his hands.

“I’m too scared to shake it.” Jimin murmured.

“Why?”

“I don’t want to break it.”

Jungkook felt himself completely melt at how softly he spoke and the genuine worry in his honey-brown orbs. A part of him knew that they weren’t just talking about the snow globe. He gently laced his fingers through Jimin’s as they held it together.

“You won’t.”

They shook the snow globe as tenderly as possible and watched the white flakes shower the blond ballerina like nature’s spotlight.

“I must be cold in there.” Jimin joked lightly.

Jungkook shook his head and wrapped his arms around Jimin immediately.

“I’ll keep you warm.”

Jimin leaned into his chest, giggling into his shirt. Jungkook heard him mumble something about how cheesy that was. He simply gave a content smile and hugged him with all the warmth he could give. Jimin stared at the snow globe and felt an immense wave of happiness. Then he looked up into Jungkook’s bright brown eyes and he felt a wave of something else. He wasn’t sure what it was yet, but he wanted to find 0ut.

Jungkook felt himself falling deeper into his gaze, unconsciously leaning in closer until the tips of their noses touched. It was like a spark fizzled across their skin.

“Jimin!”

Then the familiar yelling of a certain Kim Seokjin brought them back to the present. The door opened wide to reveal the sounds of the absolute chaos that was happening downstairs.

Jin shouted over the music, “Jimin if we wait any longer the cake is going to be 75% candle wax!”

He closed the door behind him and started wiggling his eyebrows, “Oh I seem to be interrupting something.”

The pair blushed as Jungkook continued to hold Jimin in his arms.

Jungkook pouted, “You are.”

Jimin chuckled shyly, reluctantly slipping out of Jungkook’s hold to place his snow globe on his bedside table.

“Jungkook, you can’t keep him all to yourself, we’re all here to celebrate Jimin’s birthday!”

The brunet rolled his eyes, disappointed as he watched Jin grab Jimin by the shoulders and bring him to the door. He followed behind them and nearly stopped in shock when he heard the noise from downstairs again. The music was blasting full volume, yet the swim team were even louder.

“I FOUND THE KAREOKE MACHINE!”

Jimin cursed, “Ah, shit Tae no-”

“I SPILLED CAPRI-SUN ON THE CARPET HOW DO YOU GET IT OUT?”

Jin facepalmed, “Namjoon, I swear to God-”

“HOSEOK, NO PICK ANOTHER SONG!”

Jungkook could already confirm what song it was from Yoongi’s panic.

“I WANNA SWIIIIIIIIIIIIIING FROM THE CHANDELIEHEEEEEEE-”

They all covered their ears in unison as they headed downstairs.

The rest of the day was full of gut-busting laughter, ear-splitting singing along with comedic performances and tireless dancing. Whenever their sugar highs died down, they’d all crash together, the music would grow mellow and fill the living room with chill vibes. One of Jimin’s favourite moments was laying across Jungkook’s lap whilst everyone lounged about and talked about whatever came to mind. He thought about how seamlessly he had become a part of their family and realised that he found a reason to swim. Jimin took Jungkook’s hand that was busy playing with his hair and held it. Well, he had two reasons.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter, it's my first time writing fanfiction so I really appreciate it!  
> I got inspired by this amazing vid by wangsterx based on a Jikook swimming au https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YmtiNZiazY


End file.
